44 
general the matter seems in a condition of equilibrium. This growth 
naturally is reduced by all operations, reducing either the forest area 
or the growing timber by clearing, by logging sapling or growing timber, 
and most of all by fires. 
COMMUNAL INTERESTS IN FOREST CONDITIONS. 
The importance of the forest to the State of Wisconsin as a factor of 
wealth is very great. The statement that “the wood industries have 
built every mile of railway and wagon road, every church and school- 
house, and nearly every town, and that in addition they have enabled 
the clearing of half the improved land of north Wisconsin,” is by no 
neans an extravagant exaggeration. Between 1873 and 1898 more than 
66,000,000,000 feet B. M. of pine alone were cut from this forest, and 
even then the lumber industry was in a flourishing condition on all the 
streams, and had built up La Crosse, Kau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Grand 
Rapids, Wausau, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Green Bay, and inany other 
places. The output of the lumber industry alone for the year 1897 is 
illustrated in the following table, taken from the Northwestern Lumber- 
man, whose excellent canvass has before been referred to: 
Total cut of lumber in Wisconsin for the year 1897, in million feet B. M. 
[Taken from the Northwestern Lumberman, January 22, 1898. ] 
White 
mised and Nor- || lslenedl 
Name of district. way Pine Hemlock. ao aOaes 
(alone). 
Below Minneapolis, i.e.,on Mississippi River (@).......----.-.--------- 284. 3 3.8 (ine 
St. Croim Valley (D)) sac secs voce settee ates ete ascieme terse eteletale ere ate aioe LOD sicese tentaa tere ee eee 
Chippewa Valley. 01th ccs se corscine cae velo eck een ero ayes enter reterateeae 274. 8 18.8 || 26.7 
Omaha RoadCh. St; Bev and ORR) Geese cee eres eee eee ee eeeeere sine oaceeaes J ; 
Wisconsin Vialley - 2 foc.) See oaks ae sie stseroe eieroieiata Sis ere sie Sere vas ces 398. 7 23. 6 60.6 
Wasconsini@entraleoad a eereeeccmeee et onan e ee eee eee 134.1 24.3 84.5 
hake Shorey ¢Ash) and: Branch) S2eeeseeneesenee: oe eee ere eee ene 126.5 18.9 61.1 
PAA MEH ACEO ODE TRACE ieee Se Ea ae On oe We ee Sooo Tous oetooar 265. 3 2G ol Sa eereee 
Soomine (MaStee and Sus ta Meee. eemercemee ee ee cee eee 50. 2 2.6 ea: 
Mast; Central WASCONSIMe. «ses se re ere acta aye eres ele ie ec oe eee ioe torers ora eaters 36.6 9.9 6.9 
Southern 2W ISCOMSUM ss cies lek a eke ek Ses wre te eee re eee eee rcs eee ate ere tee [Pee are etc | oe sree 10.3 
MisCellaneousie sooo ocnje tes ec ecto 6 iso were Se ace ysis Bie ere Coe ies Se ee Se a erent es [eset [ers epee 27 
A DOU RUM ECG BUSH a Ket nee er ey eee rey perme a Sr cists eye a Seishin PR OU ie ct Oe BH eciaSice scaliccac nao 
Green’ Bay. shore; below: Menominee:(¢) seescce sates eerie ee tale orate PB) AN 11.9 \ 6.0 
GreenvBavshore,on Menominee erties scsceemccienceccce eee nee tee NOY |i a : 
a) D0 2) ae eae NO cee aes NC ceo CPV eer ee ial ES eo ee BEC el Ba Se 2,190. 7 116. 4 278 
(a) Only one-third of the original item is supposed to be cut on Wisconsin soil. 
(b) Only one-half of the or iginal item is supposed to be cut on Wisconsin soil. 
(c) Only one-half of the original item ‘‘on Menominee ”’ 
the part ‘‘below Menominee’ * Gs all credited as cut in Wisconsin. 
is supposed to come from Wisconsin, but 
The following table, the data for which have been taken from the 
annual statements of the lumber cut, as given by the Northwestern 
Since, in the original 
statements, Wisconsin was not clearly separated from Minnesota on the 
one hand and Michigan on the other, it was necessary to modify some 
Lumberman, represents chiefly the output of pine. 
of the original figures. 
The “Duluth district” was entirely left out, as 
