FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



17 



Table 2, which shows the total output of timber in the region during 

 1909, is given in cubic feet as the best common basis for comparison, 

 much the larger part of the output being measured on this basis. The 

 table shows a total cut for the year from the 16 mountain counties of 

 about 32,270,000 cubic feet. This represents only that part of the total 

 cut which was marketed. To obtain the total amount of timber cut in 

 1909 the amount wasted in cutting and manufacturing must be added. 

 The waste in manufacturing lumber includes slab and kerf — about 40 

 per cent of each log — and the waste in the woods by tops, stumps, and 

 culls, amounting to about one-fourth of all the timber marketed. This, 

 with an estimated domestic consumption of 12,000,000 cubic feet for 

 firewood, rails, and posts, makes a total cut for 1909 of about 59,000,000 

 cubic feet. This is equivalent to a cut of nearly 19 cubic feet per acre 

 over all the forest land of the region. 



Table 2. — Total Estimated Output of Wood Products for 1909, by Counties. — Computed in 



Cubic Feet. 



Counties 



Total 

 Output 



Lumber 



Chestnut 

 Tanning 

 Extract 

 Wood 



Pulp- 

 wood 



Tan- 

 bark 



Ties 



Poles, 



Pins, 

 Shingles 



and 

 Miscel- 

 laneous 

 Products 



Cherokee.. 



Clay. 



2,161,250 

 49, 167 



481,327 

 3,321,235 

 1,271,505 

 4, 206, 643 

 6, 078, 780 

 2, 578, 783 

 1, 996, 708 

 2,452,160 

 1,314, 323 



658, 666 

 3,612,850 

 1,389,750 



715,833 



403,250 



800, 083 

 49, 167 



342,417 

 1,422,250 



725, 167 

 1,270, 333 

 1,714, 250 



260, 583 



386,833 

 1,161,000 

 1, 128, 750 



589,333 

 3,143,917 

 1,340, 750 



708, 333 



355, 250 



997, 500 



175, 750 



132, 750 



30,000 



25, 167 



Graham 



94,050 

 1,459.200 

 268, 470 

 1,238,705 

 808, 450 

 1,715,700 

 1,281,075 

 868,490 

 55, 290 



8,075 

 194,085 

 36, 005 

 1,380, 035 

 3,428,550 

 418, 000 

 142,500 

 101, 175 

 72, 200 



24, 885 

 245, 700 

 108, 630 

 118,440 



82, 530 

 117,000 

 110,700 

 168, 525 



50, 670 

 9,000 



73, 350 



45, 000 

 4,500 



45,000 









11,900 



Swain 





Macon 





133, 233 

 181, 100 

 24,000 



Jackson 



Haywood. 



Transylvania. 



18,000 

 21,000 

 67, 500 

 60,000 



lOS, 000 

 4,800 

 45,000 



111,000 



Buncombe 



Madison 



Yancey 



15, 600 

 44, 970 

 2, 613 

 15, 333 

 67, 033 

 4,000 

 5,000 

 3,000 



Mitchell 



Watauga.. 



198, 550 



19,000 



Ashe 









Alleghany 









Totals 









32, 692, 230 



15,396,416 



8,985,480 



5,975,405 



1,336,680 



465,300 



532, 949 



It is estimated that uncared for hardwood forests, such as those in 

 Western ]^orth Carolina, are growing at the rate of from 12 to 15 cubic 

 feet per acre per year. Assuming even that the greater figure repre- 

 sents the annual growth in this region, then the timber is being cut 

 much faster than it is growing. This can not last indefinitely. Either 

 the annual cut must be reduced to coincide with the growth, or else the 

 growth must be made to keep pace with the demands upon it. The lat- 

 ter is certainly the most economical and businesslike way of dealing 

 with the problem. By protecting these forests from fire, and by encour- 

 aging the more rapid-growing and more valuable species, the annual 

 2 



