14 
FORESTS OF WISCONSIN. 
(+) being used where it still exists in considerable quantities, 
tbe minus sign (—) where it has been cut out. 
Where pine predominates, the signs of the red circle with 
and without a cross, denoting present and former conditions are 
employed. 
Where the hardwoods are largely cut, culled, or destroyed by 
fire, the minus sign in black is used, while jack pine and jack 
oak are in all cases indicated, the one by red and the other by 
green V sign. 
CONIFEROUS SUPPLIES. 
The conifers, particularly the pines, formed solid, almost pure, 
forests over more than 30 per cent, of the area under considera¬ 
tion besides hundreds of groves of smaller extent scattered 
throughout the entire area of mixed forest. In addition, they 
formed the most conspicuous part of these mixed forests them¬ 
selves so that the name of “pinery” was applied to the entire 
forest once covering this area. The conifers covered especially 
the poorest land, stocked the barrens, the light sands, the 
roughest gravel lands, and clothed the swamps wherever these 
permitted of any tree growth. Besides forming the bulk of the 
forest growth, the chief conifers, white and red (Norway) pine 
and hemlock grew to larger size and better shape than the hard¬ 
woods; they yielded more material and were easier logged, 
transported, and sawed, and their product found a much more 
extensive market. In total amount of saw timber the conifers 
originally excelled the hardwoods about as five to one, but at 
present all the conifers combined furnish only about twice as 
much material as the hardwoods. 
WHITE PINE. 
Past .—The white pine occurred in nearly all parts of this 
area; in most counties it was found in every township, on almost 
every section, and though checked at the “openings,” apparently 
by a lack of moisture, it followed all the streams (the Wisconsin, 
Black, Chippewa, St. Croix, etc.), for a considerable distance be- 
