sawmills began to use the high-quality trees of other 

 species — although as late as 1885, few trees other than 

 ash, basswood, black walnut, cherry, cucumber 

 magnolia, white oak, white pine, and yellow-poplar 

 were worth taking. 



These "high-grading" operations, which were aimed 

 at relatively few species and only high-quality trees of 

 these species, were enough to create one of Tennessee's 

 primary industries. In the 20-year period from 1880 

 to 1 900, wage earners in the lumber industry (accord- 

 ing to the Census) rose from 3,700 to 11,200. Value 

 of lumber products went from less than $4 million to 

 $18 million (nearly 20 percent of the value of all in- 

 dustrial products). A large variety of other timber 

 products came into prominent use — railroad ties, 

 cooperage, vehicle stock, handles, poles, mine timbers, 

 posts, and tanbark. 



As choice timber became scarce, the loggers went 

 back again and again for smaller trees and for species 

 they had previously rejected. Timber production 

 reached its peak in the early 1900's and has since 

 fallen off. Nevertheless, a substantial part of the 

 State's economy is still tied to timber. 



In 1 950 the value of timber cut for domestic use and 

 for sale (logs, bolts, and other round or split products) 

 in Tennessee was $54 million. Further manufacture 

 of timber products within the State added $136 million 

 in value (fig. 10). The total value of $190 million 

 represented about 6 percent of the total income pay- 

 ments in Tennessee in 1950, compared with 10 percent 

 in farming and 1 5 percent in other manufacturing. 



The number of individual workers employed in 

 timber industries cannot be accurately estimated, 

 since much of the employment is part-time. In 

 terms of full employment, however (fifty 40-hour 



JMBER, VENEER. COOPERAGE. AND PRODUCTS 



PULP AND PAPER PRODUCTS 



20 40 60 80 



MILLION DOLLARS 



100 



VALUE OF 

 I RAW PRODUCTS 



VALUE ADDED 



BY MANUFACTURE 



Figure 10. — Value of raw timber products and value added by manu- 

 facture, 1950. 



weeks per year), Tennessee's timber industries furnish 

 some 29,500 man-years of work — 19,000 in cutting 

 the timber and hauling it to the mills, and 10,500 in 

 manufacture. 



Nontimber Values of the Forest 



Though this report is concerned with the forest as a 

 source of timber, the nontimber services of the forest 

 may have an even greater total value. Foremost 

 among the nontimber values are watershed protection, 

 recreation, and wildlife. Sometimes, the forest values 

 are in partial conflict. For example, establishment of 

 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was based 

 on the premise that timber use would impair the ex- 

 traordinary recreational value of the area. But in the 

 main, the nontimber uses of the forest can be carried 

 on simultaneously with the commercial production of 

 timber. 



Watershed protection may rate well above the 

 timber values in Tennessee. Water is one of the 

 State's primary resources. Industrial water require- 

 ments are larger than domestic needs. While much 

 of the water used by industry is for cooling purposes, 

 sizable quantities are needed in manufacturing proc- 

 esses that require water of high quality. Availa- 

 bility of good water from forested watersheds has 

 been a predominant factor in the location of rayon 

 and other chemical-process plants in Tennessee. 

 The electric power generated by the TVA systems — 

 about 5% million kilowatts early in 1954 — comes 

 largely from water. River navigation is assuming- 

 increasing importance. The volume of traffic on the 

 Tennessee River in 1953 was one billion ton-miles, 

 25 times as great as in 1933. 4 



To . regulate water for navigation, hydroelectric 

 power, and flood control, huge engineering works 

 have been built along the waterways and more are 

 contemplated. Without the existing engineering 

 structures, the January 1946 flood of the Tennessee 

 River would have caused an estimated flood damage 

 at Chattanooga of $12 million; actual damage w; 

 $200,000 (6). But important as these engineerim 

 works are, their effectiveness is greatly influenced b\ 

 the condition of the forests which occupy much of 

 the headwaters areas (fig. 11). By facilitating the 

 infiltration of water into the soil and by retardim 

 the runoff of surface water, forests help reduce flooc 

 crests and stabilize streamflow. By checking soil 

 erosion, forests also greatly reduce the rate of silta- 



4 Data furnished bv TVA. 



12 



Forest Resource Report No. 9, U. S. Department of Agriculture 



