FORESTRY BUREAU. 



155 



CENSUS REPORT. 



The Census of 1800 does not give the amount of lumber produced at 

 that time, but only its value. This is reported to be $90,715,837. 



In 1870 the census reported the lumber product to bo 12,755,543,000 

 feet, board measure, and 3,2G5,51G,000 shingles, having a value of 

 $210,159,327, with 03,928 establishments engaged in the manufacture of 

 articles made entirely of wood, employing 393,383 persons and using 

 material valued at $309,921,403, beside 109,512 establishments in which 

 wood formed an important part of the material used, these employing 

 700,915 persons and using material valued at $488,530,844. 



In 1880 the census returns give as the amount of lumber produced 

 18,091,350,000 feet, with the addition of 5,555,040,000 shingles. It will 

 be seen that the product of lumber has been increased from decade to 

 decade in a more rapid manner than the population of the country. 



If we take the Northwestern States, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Min- 

 nesota, now the principal sources of pine-lumber supply of the country, 

 we have the following figures for the decade 1873-'83 : 



Description. 



1873. 



1883. 





3, 993, 780, 000 

 2, 277, 433, 550 



7, 624, 789, 786 

 3, 964, 756, 639 







Showing an amount nearly doubled in ten years. 



SUPPLY OF LUMBER OUTRUNNING DEMAND. 



This rapid increase in the amount of lumber produced, outrunning 

 so far the increase of population and the natural demand for it, shows 

 that the forests are consumed at an un warrantable rate. This is shown 

 also by the tact that the lumber markets have been reported generally 

 as greatly overstocked and the lumber trade as dull. So extensive had 

 been the cutting of the forests that a large amount of logs were left 

 over at the close of the last year. Appeals were then made by those 

 interested in the trade for a iessened cut of logs last winter, and prom- 

 ises and predictions were made that it would be diminished. So far 

 was this, however, from being the fact, there was a larger cut than ever 

 before. The weather and other conditions proving favorable, the lum- 

 ber camps carried on their work of destruction in the forests with the 

 utmost vigor, and protracted it as far into the spring season as possible. 

 The destructive disposition seems to- find a special provocation or vent 

 for itself in the forests, so that the lumberman pursues his work often 

 beyond the limit which self-interest would assign to it. In the face of 

 an overladen market and unremunerative sales, he will often continue 

 his work with a seemingly reckless disregard of consequences. The 

 profitableness of the lumber business a few years ago incited many to 

 engage in it who possessed but little capital, and who were obliged to 

 purchase their timber land or stumpage at an advanced price and more 

 or less on credit. This class have been under the necessity, certainly 

 under a strong inducement, to convert their standing timber into lum- 

 ber, and put it upon the market as soon as possible. But others, who 

 had become possessed of timber land at cheaper rates, and who by past 

 success in business were able to suspend or curtail work in the forests, 

 have not chosen to do so. Having the advantage of the former class, 

 in the ability to secure a profit because able to manufacture at less cost 

 of material, they have pursued their advantage. 



