216 



CONDITIONS BY COUNTIES. 



It is stated that these primitive mills were once numerous along 

 the larger tributaries of the Potomac and that large amounts 

 of excellent lumber were manufactured to supply local de- 

 mands. The first steam saw mill — at least in the northeastern 

 part of the county — is said to have been put in operation near 

 Cherry run by Louis Shipley in the year 1870. Soon after this 

 date, it is certain, mills of this kind became numerous and have 

 so remained to the present. At first, when prices w^ere low, 

 only the choicest lumber was manufactured and sold; later, 

 when prices became high^ only the more inferior timber re- 

 mained. For this reason, therefore, the lumber industry has 

 often proved unprofitable both to the original owner and to the 

 manufacturer. 



Waste has been everywhere in evidence. Bark from the 

 chestnut oak timber — once so abundant on all the dry moun- 

 tain ridges — was stripped off for local tanneries at Berkeley 

 Springs, Pawpaw and other points, and the trunks left on the 

 ground to decay ; wasteful methods of lumber manufacture have 

 been employed; a great number of young trees have been cut — 

 especially during the last 15 years — for mine props, cross-ties, 

 poles and pulp wood ; and forest fires have prevailed in the 

 wooded mountains during dry weather for more than a cen- 

 tury. 



Present Forest Conditions. 



There are no virgin forests of any consequence now re- 

 maining in the county. The cut-over forests lie on the 3 prin- 

 cipal mountains and comprise an area of about 25,000 acres. 

 The timber on the cut-over areas is not good. The prevailing 

 species are white oak, black oak and chestnut oak, with a scat- 

 tered growth of other more or less stunted hardwoods, and with 

 a few white, yellow and scrub pines. 



The large number of healthy young locusts growing jiow 

 in the county will be a valuable asset to all owners of woodland 

 provided the trees are not seriously molested for a period of 

 20 years. 



The wooded mountains — although producing but little tim- 

 ber and of an inferior grade — are, nevertheless, indispensible 



