24 FOREST RESOURCES OF TEXAS. 



HARDWOOD AND SIIORTLEAF FORESTS OF THE LIGNITIC BELT. 



Extent. 



These are by far the most extensive of the east Texas forests. Of 

 the pine timber there are some 30,000 square miles, but the forest 

 type, with oaks forming the chief part of the mixture, covers a much 

 larger territory, spreading over the whole of the Lignitic Belt to its 

 western margin at the Black Prairie, and far southwestward into the 

 Bio Grande Plain. The pine area lies between the longleaf and loblolly 

 belts and the Bed River, reaching westward to Hopkins and Anderson 

 counties. Beyond this the pine drops out, perhaps because of the 

 lessened rainfall, and the post oak region is entered. It is the writer's 

 belief, however, that shortleaf pine can be made to flourish on most of 

 the Lignitic formation westward to the Black Prairie, and that it has 

 economic possibilities in connection with forest management for the 

 entire region. 



The shortleaf and post oak forests are found on the highest and 

 roughest parts of the Tertiary plain which covers east Texas down to 

 the Coast Plain. The shortleaf area begins in Houston and Angelina 

 counties, at an altitude of over 300 feet. Its appearance is rather 

 closely associated with that of the characteristic red clays found thence 

 northward to Texarkana. This whole Tertiary plain, which includes 

 the longleaf area, is a region of sand beds and underlying clays, an 

 unconsolidated mass favorable to tree growth. It will be recalled that 

 the region has already been described as the remnant of an ancient 

 plain worn away by erosion, in which the streams have established 

 wide drainage bottoms, with second bottoms or benches rising to the 

 divides from 100 to 200 feet above the present stream level. It is on 

 these uplands that the shortleaf and oak prevail. The alluvial bottom 

 is covered by mixed hardwood forest. 



Composition of the Forest. 



Aside from the shortleaf the upland oaks hold the lead. Of these 

 the post oak is the most abundant and universal; after this, black jack 

 and blue jack — the latter especially to the east. Besides these there 

 are two upland hickories — the nutmeg hickory and the pignut. Many 

 of the alluvial bottom species also, pushing up the slopes and follow- 

 ing the innumerable small ravines and draws, penetrate into the upland 

 forest at every point. Elm, white oak, red oak, and sweet gum are 

 to be found well out upon the upland. 



THE SHORTLEAF PINE. 



The only important timber tree is the shortleaf. Of its total 30.000 

 square miles of area, however, only a small part is in the region of its 



