6 LOGGING 
they still ranked first in 1899 a rapid decline soon began and the 
center sliifted to the southern states which have ranked first 
since that time, although the output on the Pacific Coast is rapidly- 
approaching that in the South. Before the close of the next 
decade the center of production will move to the West Coast 
wliich contains the greater part of the reserve supply of saw timber 
in this country. 
COMMERCIAL SPECIES 
Softwoods comprise approximately 71 per cent of the total saw 
timber in the United States, 61 per cent of which is found in the 
Pacific Coast forests. Douglas fir represents the largest volume 
of softwoods, namely, 34 per cent, southern yellow pine 14.6 
per cent, western yellow pines 14.2 per cent, western hemlock 
5.4 per cent, the true firs 5.4 per cent and redwood 4.1 per cent. 
The remainder is represented by many species of which western 
white pine, sugar pine, western red cedar, lodgepole pine, western 
spruce, eastern spruce and eastern hemlock are the more impor- 
tant from the standpoint of volume. 
The commercial hardwoods are all found in the eastern forests, 
and among them oak is the most important representing 33 per 
cent, birch, beech and maple 16.3 per cent, and red gum 9.6 per 
cent. The remainder includes many species among the more 
important of which are chestnut, hickory, cottonwood, ash and 
yellow poplar. 
The stand by species and by regions is shown in Table IV. 
SOFTWOODS 
Douglas fir. — This species (Pseudotsuga taxifolia) also known 
as Oregon pine, is the most important tree on the Pacific Coast 
from which lumber is produced. The largest manufacturing 
plants are located on Puget Sound, the Columbia River and har- 
bors along the Pacific Ocean in Washington and Oregon. A major 
part of the log supply for these mills is carried by railroads to 
tide water or to large streams where it is rafted and towed to the 
manufacturing plants. The lumber is marketed locally, in the 
prairie regions both west and east of the Mississippi River and an 
extensive market is being developed along the Altantic Seaboard, 
shipments coming chiefly via the Panama Canal. The export 
trade also provides an outlet for a relatively large volume of lumber 
