Somerset County. 



117 



cordwood, barrel heads, piling, lath, railroad ties, and shingles. Som- 

 erset has a cut of softwood or pine lumber only exceeded by that of 

 four other counties — Dorchester, Garrett, Wicomico, and Worcester ; 

 in mine props it heads the State. A large water frontage is respon- 

 sible for a considerable cut of piling, and there is a somewhat limited 

 market for cordwood, the greater part of which is pine. There are in 

 all 35 miles of railway in this county, and the facilities for water ship- 

 ping are unusual. Planing mills are located at Crisfield, Harold, and 

 Princess Anne ; plants for box and crate making at Crisfield, Harold, 

 Princess Anne, and Westover ; for barrels at Marion Station ; boats at 

 Crisfield ; and a total of six yards at Crisfield, Harold, Marion Station, 

 and Princess Anne. It would seem, with the timber supply at hand 

 and the shipping facilities nearly everywhere available, that this 

 branch of forest products might warrant some extension. There is 

 about $125,000 invested in the timber business, which employs 400 

 men. Such industries are of incalculable benefit to any county, and 

 right management of local forest resources should make possible a 

 continuance of these conditions, if not an actual improvement in them. 



Fortunately, there has come about in the last few years a decided 

 change for the better in the attitude of landowners toward forests. 

 When wood was very abundant, and consequently cheap, little atten- 

 tion was ever given to the growing of this crop. Now, with the great 

 increase in general timber values, more attention is being paid to the 

 management of woodlands. There is also being experienced generally 

 a very rapid rise in the values of farm land, and this also has resulted 

 in more intensive farm management, with a consequent favorable re- 

 action toward improved conditions in the woodlot. Of the farms of 

 the county, 25 per cent are operated by tenants, and this farming un- 

 der lease has always been an obstacle to the best kind of forest man- 

 agement. The tenant cannot, of course, be expected to manifest to- 

 ward the wooded portions of the farm exactly the same attitude as the 

 owner. And since while upon the farm he is in practically complete 

 control, it is difficult for the actual landowner to carry out any well- 

 regulated system of forest management, even were he disposed to do 

 so. In the past the average landowner has not always been apprecia- 

 tive of the actual value of forest lands as a source of income, and this 

 has resulted in their sometimes being managed at much less than their 

 maximum of output. With the increase of values and changed condi- 

 tions along these lines, it is anticipated that better forest management 

 will in time receive the necessary impetus in Somerset County. 



