188 



CONDITIONS BY COUNTIES. 



county. The remaining 400,000 acres, or more, must be classed 

 as cut-over forest. 



The condition of the forest land varies considerably in the 

 different localities. In many places, especially along the rail- 

 roads and in the vicinity of large coal operations, the condition 

 of the badly burned and cut-over land is not hopeful. In other 

 sections, however, there is a sufficient stand of young trees of the 

 species mentioned under the head of ''Former Forest Con- 

 ditions. ' ' Careful management of such areas will insure a pro- 

 fitable yield within a few years. The virgin timber land and the 

 best of the cut-over land lies south of a line beginning at Brad- 

 shaw Station on the Dry Fork of Tug and running thence east- 

 ward to the Mercer county line by the way of Gary Station on 

 the Tug river and the divide between the waters of Tug river 

 and Elkhorn creek. 



There are 87 coal companies in operation in the county with 

 an average of 3 openings each. Practically all the timber land is 

 owned by 3 or 4 of these companies. Large quantities of timber 

 are required for mine props, mine ties, etc., and some of the large 

 companies are purchasing their mine timbers from Virginia and 

 Kentucky in order to conserve their own young growth. 



MARION COUNTY. 



Location and Area. 



Marion county, formed in 1842 from parts of Monongalia 

 'and Harrison, is situated in the northern part of the state, 

 being separated from Pennsylvania by Monongalia county and 

 from Ohio by Wetzel county. Its area is 315.44 square miles or 

 201,881.6 acres. 



Topography. 



Like portions of Harrison and Taylor adjoining it on the 

 south the surface of much of the county is roughened by low 

 hills which are easily cultivated. Toward the heads of the 

 streams, however, the hills become high and steep. The rough- 

 est portions are found in the western sections along the Wetzel 



