128 



The Forests op Maeydand, 



tered pine. In sueli mixed stands the pine, being generally more val- 

 uable, is usually cut to a small diameter limit, while the less desirable 

 hardwoods — black gum, red maple, and scrubby oaks — are left in 

 full possession of the land. This is particularly true in swampy places 

 where the more valuable hardwoods do not thrive, and the pine only 

 occurs on hummocks or where surface conditions will permit. The 

 best pine grows in the central, and especially the south-central, part, 

 while the heaviest hardv/ood stands occur in the extreme eastern and 

 western parts. 



The Forest Survey made in 1908 shows that this county's wood- 

 lands are 23 per cent hardwood, 38 per cent pine, and 39 per cent 

 mixed hardwood and pine. There are only 112 acres of hardwoods ex- 

 ceeding 5,000 board feet per acre, with 24,852 acres where the stand is 

 less ; 7,018 acres of pine, 5,000 board feet and above per acre, and 35,- 

 596 acres of less; and 1,270 acres in mixed stands which equal or ex- 

 ceed 5,000 feet, and 42,760 acres which fall below. 



Uses of the Forests. 



Wicomico County has a heavy cut of timber, with more sawmill 

 and timber operators, 64, than any other county in the State. Their 

 cut for 1914 fell below that of only two others, Charles and Garrett, 

 and amounted to 3,949,470 cubic feet of wood, worth $592,318. How- 

 ever, it has the heaviest cut of pine in Maryland, that product being 

 followed in order of value by piling, staves, cordwood, mine props, 

 railroad ties, lath, poles, and shingles. It may be remarked here that 

 this county has the second largest cut of staves in the State, while in 

 piling it easily leads. The cut of cordwood is also heavy, and consists 

 principally of pine, much of which finds its way via the Chesapeake 

 route to Baltimore. 



Wicomico is no doubt the second most important county of Mary- 

 land as regards the number and size of its wood-using industries. The 

 heavy stands of timber occurring locally, 43 miles of railway lines, and 

 the excellent facilities for water shipments, all contribute to this. 

 There are yards or planing mills at Hebron, Pittsville, Salisbury, 

 Sharptown, and Wango ; crate factories at Powellsville, Salisbury', 

 Sharptown, AVango, and Willards ; a boat yard at Sharptown ; basket 

 manufactories at Wango, Willards, and Powellsville; and plants turn- 

 ing out boxes at Sharptown and Willards. In Salisbury alone there 

 are six planing mills, five yards, six box factories, three plants for 

 making crates, two basket factories, one wagon works, one plant mak- 

 ing chairs, and one for building ships. Salisbury is practically the 



