64 



The Forests op Marylajstd. 



the former employing portable mills. Lumber ranks first in order of 

 production and value, with railroad ties second, and cordwood third. 

 Then follow, in order of relative importance, poles, shingles, pulp- 

 wood, tanbark, posts and export logs. These forest products are 

 made readily accessible by 55 miles of railway lines in the County, 

 and 17 additional along its southern border. There are also numer- 

 ous improved highways which give access to all parts of the County 

 and furnish cheap means of transportation for the hauling and mark- 

 eting of forest products. There are 17 retail yards, located at Hamp- 

 stead, Keymar, Linwood, Mt. Airy, New Windsor, Sykesville, Taney- 

 town, Union Bridge, and "Westminster, while the manufacturing part 

 of the business is represented by only a planing mill at Mt. Airy, saw 

 and shingle mills at Woodbine, some cooperage work and wagon build- 

 ing at Westminster. 



In general the stand of timber per acre is good, due to the rich 

 soil and protection from forest fires, in which respect Carroll ranks 

 fifth among the counties. The timber values are correspondingly 

 high, and there exists a stable local demand. Since the woodlots are 

 more or less isolated, and protected by the owners, fires are infre- 

 quent, and the present tendency is toward the production of good 

 timber. In an agricultural sense Carroll County is highly developed, 

 and proper management of its wooded area cannot help but contri- 

 bute substantially to its general prosperity along these lines. 



The forest products of this County will of course never be of para- 

 mount importance because of the restricted area devoted to forest 

 culture, but the per acre production shovild be high because of good 

 soil and the intensive methods which generally prevail. The native 

 tree species which are reproduced are of high commercial value, the 

 fire danger is well under control, and the farmer with his relatively 

 small woodlot is in a position to give careful attention to it. The 

 present annual cut of 991,960 cubic feet on the 39,292 acres in forest 

 represents very nearly the annual increment, and this cut may be 

 maintained under present methods. Improved means of handling the 

 forests — complete fire protection, better systems of cutting to favor 

 the young growth, elimination of unprofitable trees, and restricted 

 grazing of the woodlands — would in a few years increase present pro- 

 duction 60 per cent. There is generally a good local demand for wood 

 and timber, favoring close utilization and a profitable forest man- 

 agement. 



