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CONDITIONS BY COUNTIES. 



from 1878 to 1892. There were large numbers of cross-ties and 

 split staves floated with the logs during the same period. Some 

 of these were sold direct to companies and others went through 

 the hands of local merchants. 



There were a few small saw mills in operation as early as 

 1865. These sawed lumber almost exclusively for local use. An 

 increase in the number of saw mills followed the completion of 

 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to Spencer in 1892. Since that 

 time most of the good timber of the county has been sawed and 

 shipped out. 



Several stave mills were put in operation about the time of 

 the building of the railroad. The 3 most prominent operators 

 were, J. W. Depew, who sawed on Reedy creek; Bert. England, 

 who sawed on Spring creek; and Judge Lewis, who sawed on 

 Sandy creek. 



A part of the chestnut oak tan-bark peeled in the county 

 was used at 3 small tan yards. The rest was shipped over the 

 railroad. 



There has been an extensive hoop-pole and cross-tie indus- 

 try in the county for the last 30 years. 



Much of the good oak was exported for ship-building pur- 

 poses. In 1901 J. D. Seaman, operating on Reedy and Spring 

 creeks, and Ball and Dudley on Pocatalico river, cut and shipped 

 about 7,000 pieces of square oak. 



Present Forest Conditions. 



The county is nearly all owned by farmers. From 65 to 

 75 per cent of the land has been cleared for agricultural pur- 

 poses. The farmers' woodlots which are remote from shipping 

 points, especially in the southeastern section, have some good 

 timber remaining. This is being rapidly cut for use in the oil 

 "fields of the county. Woodlots which are near to market have 

 been stripped of almost everything except a few hoop-poles and 

 inferior cross-ties. 



There are 2 tracts, 1 in Smithfield district of a little less 

 than 3,000 acres, and another in Spencer district of about 2,000 

 acres, that may be classed as cut-over forest. 



