2 BULLETIN 24, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
A special study has been made of cottonwood by the Forest Service, 
to determine more definitely its characteristics and the general prac- 
ticability of forest management. The investigations were confined 
largely to the Mississippi Valley region, where cottonwood is com- 
mercially important. The conclusions reached in this bulletin, there- 
fore, apply chiefly to this region, and more particularly to the south- 
ern part of the valley. The conclusions in regard to planting, how- 
ever, apply wherever cottonwood can be grown. 3 
ANNUAL CUT AND PRESENT SUPPLY. 
The lumber cut of cottonwood for 1911 approximated 198,630,000 
board feet. In addition a considerable amount of cottonwood was used 
for other purposes. Shghtly over 25,000 cords, or 14,000,000 board 
feet, were used in 1911 for pulpwood, much of which, however, prob- 
ably came from the black cottonwood. The veneer industry con- 
sumed another 35,000,000 feet, and over half as much more is reported 
to have gone into slack cooperage, while nearly 62,000 cords were 
used for excelsior. The total cut, therefore, was somewhat over 
300,000,000 feet, board measure, exclusive of firewood. 
As compared with important timber trees the cut of cottonwood 
is small, yet considering its limited commercial range and its 
restricted local occurrence it must be regarded as a tree of consid- 
erable commercial importance. The demand for its lumber is, in 
_ fact, in excess of the supply, as reflected by the rise in its mill-run 
value from $10.37 in 1899 to $18.12 in 1911. The value of the total 
cut of cottonwood for 1909, the last year for which values of products 
were obtained by the Bureau of the Census, was over $6,000,000, 
of which the lumber cut represented $4,794,424. Table 1 shows the 
cottonwood lumber cut for 1911, together with the estimated average 
value f. o. b. at the mill, arranged by States. 
TABLE 1.—Amount and value of cottonwood lumber cut in 1911. 
Quantity. Value. 
= Number of 
tate. - | active mills 
F Average per 
reporting. eee Percent.| Total. | thousand 
. feet. 
MOL aseceéoGaneandsccansocacoosGcemaer 1,950 198, 629 100.0 | $3,599, 157 $18.12 
IN) GUEE D5 cease adonsas ceocoosedaaodaesescusee 80 52, 457 26.4 967, 307 18.44 
(oon Rage eek heat Bead te Sceboncesckome 41 48,037 24.2 900, 694 18.75 
Mississippleeermee-e ae eee eee eee 51 32, 687 16.5 659, 624 20.18 
Wi SONA Ree ae aan Sy sc conadascocetectbootocée 265 11,545 5.8 188, 876 16. 36 
AMMEN A sodondocdomesdsccocosacesossceues 55 8, 308 4.2 129, 854 15. 63 
(ON omen n beacon Sene cocbopcucesacyaneebes 130 5, 452 PAT 106, 532 19.54 
\NAROGTIG NS Bee nehceconcuccedansedensaeocece 63 4,339 252 62,178 14. 33 
Michigan eee - ce eees see tenes Seeceemce rey 147 3, 713 1.9 54, 952 14. 80 
Minnesota ses: oi cae Soe a eee seen 72 3, 082 1.6 42, 008 13,63 
Washin@tone 2-2 oe)scrs ee ser ae eeeeer aie 8 3, 056 1.5 58, 025 17.35 
Maine coe eee = eee he eee eee 64 2,620 1.3 37, 833 14.44 
OHIO ree ene mee cee nee a enee 154 2, 288 162" 41,527 18.15 
TOXAS oo UE: Gace fe SE ee 2 aera 11 2, 248 pt 39, 902 17.75 
INBEV e ee aecBocacs enon oneasonecHocosbDhcee 16 2,015 1.0 25, 691 12.75 
8.4 289, 154 17. 23 
Alliother'Stateses: 22. 2222. ote hace aes eee 793 16, 782 
