New-York tribune., 1885-02-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
oup NATIVE WOODS.

ORR NATIVE WOODS.
on TIE FORESTS OF North A AMEKiOH
iExcusye Of MexnGoli; i;rooplculture in Harvard Col
iege Special Agent Tenth Census 4'o' pi o-.. -,
r,.e ,;ntb volume of the final report on the 'en'h
.onsus contains, besides statistics OF tho iunnoo.
and other industries depending directly upon ioie'
rroducts, careful survey of the presen' eono''on0
of the forests themselves and trea''so y, VIZ
highest scientific value upon their ha'u.o "-u
stitution. Tie economic Importance oi w - oon
,rv,s woodlauds will be appreciated when Is con
.;J.roa thot the value of the forest crop-lh inc
oansns wear exceeded S7O0.000,OOO. during 'iio
go va.r the value of the iron and steer proouoeo
less than $500 900 900, the value oil the a,,"
o;ta and bituminous coal mined was less .nan
800 GOO OOO The wheat harvested III uo+ n"n
busbel would have been worth less IhaD PoVo'oo,
600 Even the immense corn crop Vi ."o
ononnting TO thirty-Gve bushels per head Oh popu
,ation. would barely reach the Valuo VI Wv vi
rroduct when estimated at 40 cents ou'n.I " .t
us.d for domestic purposes 1or luoi oi.,,;nc
,.rrost ;teu in the sum total. and map sho",nS
40 of the fuel used in the different settleo
90 tho country is most interesting sta1istcs
49, 1umhar industry have already been puoiisheo
q, preliminary bulletins. The estimates OF staholne
r,ca and nine and the rate OF Its destruct'op' 'o
r.tber with the maps of various States showing OK
tsting forests and the area already lumoereu o'ci
caused when published much comment eoiho -
which was loud and angry. These oune.nS ss,1 az,
The first clear information as TO the rapuiVy WIN
,,bich the white p,ne-the most important Iihoei
tree of the Atlantic region-was vah'sniiis' "ra
everv effort was made to lmpugn lhe aooui"0' -
the fonres In the final revision, however, .no
.r,o,noI estimates were found to need but little
modifying and it is safe TO say Una. go
General confidence In the trustworthlneSs OF ..he
.rorl, which precipitated the rise in the Market
,olre of timber lands which has taken place since
the census figures were pubnshed' ,
Tba economio aspects of the forest, or what Is
,enerollv understood as belonging to census worA
nroner are comprised in the last OF the thieo pait
into which the volume is divided Inc caVaios"0
of the trees of North America, which occupies iole
thor oOO paqes of Part l., is introduced by Qos'
Instructive dissertation upon tie cAarac'ei'S''
features of the different forest regions OF the cou
trv and the distribution of the various genera anu
snecies The catalogue itself includes al spoo'os
which grow from the ground with single aooioS-
.nrt .tam without regard to their height or size,
and this is perhaps the most satisfactory lhe 'aS
oor,ld he laid down arbitrarily between trees ana
.brnhs Four hundred and twelve such species
have been detected aud the richness OF the sylvia OF
rr Atlantic region is illustrated blythe tact thaV
nearly three hundred of these species--9- 10 oe
exaet-occur on this side of the continent Inc
trees are grouped according TO their DOtahicai Iei
tionships and to each of them, together WIN 'io'
well marked varieties. are added notes on theT us
trbntion. value and uses, together with compre'o
b,bliographcal history. An examination OF any u
the more difficult species like the thOrns' WILLOWS VI
Pacific conifers will show the enormous amount Vi
labor and cars expended on the synonymy alone
Nothing vet published approaches this catalogue IN
funess and accuracy OF detal ana IL m~'' A0'ii''"
for years a standard authority
THE second division of the book is a record OF
varous tests made with view to the determine
ton of the specific gravity fuei-yalue' sirehg'n,
elasticity and other characteristics OF tie deFeht
woods Of the United States Perhaps no series VI
experments of this kind was ever carried out WIN
more elaborateness Of detail and certainly when the
number and variety of the woods are cohsdefeu tne
tests are the most important ever made WINE Vho
experiments were in progress tie me'hou ol CON
ducting them was explained at length IN lHE lfiD-
usE. and now that tho results are grouped Tor com
parison the tables have singular interest. ihe oo,
bavior Of the various woods under compression anu
strain gives data of the highest value LOT
estimating the quality of timber furnished Dy inc
diAerent species Professor Sargent adds 70 1Ae
tables of strength tests the remark that while su
exreriments are necessary TO eS1aonsh 'N0
novimnm and relative values for any Species these
beipg established actual values OF any gwen speol
man of wood may be determined py iieioscoPlO oA-
animation of its structure; that is, two specimens
Of the wood of any species to which the ceusus tests
have been applied being given, their relative values
can he determined by examination OF their
structure as well as or better than by any elaborate
exneriments An interesting generalization IN re-
gard to specific gravity is that all species In which
bs wood js heavier than water belong TO the SEMI
tropical region of Florida or to the arid Mexican
and Interior Pacific regions. There seems TO be
certain though not constant relation between
ardiv of climate and the wood produced by closely
allied species or by individuals OF the same species
For example the wood of variety of ash, frdrtHus
Cyegii fou,d in the Rio Grande Valley. is heavier
than anv other Species while the wood OF the
white ash-F dmericqRa-a widely distributed
.rocies grown In Western Texas Is 20 per cent
heavier than the average sof all specimens OF the
. tvnicaI species grown north Of Texas
The work is illustrated by numerous maps setting
forth the density Of forests in various States and
regions together with the distribution of hard
wood nine spruce redwood and other characteristic
local forests. and one showing the proportion of
woodland within the settled area burned over dur
ing the census year. An accompanying pCrtioho
Contains besides general forest map and one show
ing the natural forest divisions OF the continent ex-
elusive of Mexico fourteen Others to illustrate the
distribution of various genera and species III census
work can ever be held to include with propriety
anything beyond the enumeration OF population
and the gathering Of industrial statistics, volumes
like this will be referred to as Illustrations of the
yalue of this enlarged scope OF inquiry ana study
rrhe volume throughout is thoroughly well done
and reflects tho highest credit upon Professor
Sargent and his assistants.