36 



FORESTS, FOREST LANDS AND FOREST PRODUCTS. 



is still about 308,000,000 feet of standing long-leaf pine, lying- 

 chiefly in the western and southern parts of the county. 



Neav Hanover county lies immediately on the coast, and con- 

 sists largely of pine barrens. The long-leaf pine has been for the 

 most part removed or destroyed. There are still, however, several 

 million feet standing in different parts of the county. In the 

 northern part along the North East river there is some swamp 

 land timbered with gums and some oak. Smith's island, which 

 lies at the southern extremity, is densely timbered with a growth 

 of hardwoods, largely water and live oaks, interspersed with- pal- 

 mettos. 



Cumberland county, like the northern part of Bladen, lies 

 largely in the sand-hill region and contains considerable areas of 

 "pine barrens," from wdiich the original long-leaf pine forests have 

 been removed. In the eastern part of the county there is some 

 white cedar along the streams or occupying small swamps, and 

 along most of the deeper streams there is cypress There are no 

 extensive bodies of merchantable oak or loblolly pine to be found. 

 In the eastern part of the county the long-leaf pine has been largely 

 cut out, but west of Fayetteville it forms extensive forests, extend- 

 ing nearl}^ to the Moore county line; and there are probably 310,- 

 000,000 feet of standing long-leaf pine in this region. 



Harnett county is situated north of Cumberland-, and that 

 part of it lying south of the Cape Fear river, which divides the 

 county into northern and southern halves, is a continuation of the 

 I'olling sand-hill country with its piue barrens of Cumberland 

 county. The larger part of these pine lands is in an exceedingl}^ 

 bad condition, having been burnt over until there are extensive 

 tracts entirely denuded of all tree growth. There is ver}^ little 

 cypress to be found in the county. North of the Cape Fear river 

 the countr}^ merges into the dark loam uplands covered with a 

 young growth of oaks, dogwood and loblolly pine, which are 

 replacing the long-leaf pine. There is only about 200,000,000 

 feet of long-leaf pine now standing in the county. Harnett county 

 furnishes some timber for the Wilmington market, last year it 

 having been estimated that about 1,500,000 feet, board measure, 

 of long-leaf pine timber was rafted down the Cape Fear river. 



