The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-04
For the Farmer and Mechanic.
Il ortn Carolina Forests in the
Tenth Census.

NaTJcntS ) long expected report, VOL.
IN, OF tenth census report on the forest
trees. aud forest wealth Of North Amer
lea, has at last appeared; and a valua-
BILE report il is. The list Of forest trees
and a lcW OF The larger shrubs) includes
4l2 different Spe les, as growing IN
North America, north OF Mexico. OI
nearly all those, there is given in the
report. and the names by which each IS
known in different sections. The geo
graphical distribution, size and strength,
value as fuel. and common uses TO which
the woods put or i adapted. The total
value OF the forest crop OF the /. ). du-
ring the census year is estimated to eX-
cecd $1,000 O0G 600, including among
prominent items, value OF wood used for
domestic purposes as fuel $500, 500. .0oU)
saw logs (5l39, 500. .Q00) wood used by
railroads as fuel $4,000, 600, naval
store, $4,000, ,0O0) railroad cross ties
(2q.554,0O0 in number and -, 100000 in
yalue) and ma4y Others
As concerning North Carolina, some
general remarks contained in The report.
about the forests OF the State rs worthy
of our attention. | quote as follows
.(p5IJl: The high ridges and deep val
lev OF the Appalachian system, which
cuIminaLe in the western part OF the State
are still everywhere covered with deuse
forests OF the most valuable hardwood
trees. mingled with northern pines and
hcmlocks The inacccssbllity OF this
mountain region has protected these
valuable forests up to the present time,
and few inroad have yet been made into
their stores of oak, cherry, yellow pop
lar and walnut. The hardwood forests
of the middle districts, however, have
been largely removed OF cullcd OF their
finest mJer, although the area OF wood
land in this part OF The State IS now in
.crcasinr. These new forests, usually
composed of inferior pine, are OF little
economic value, except as source OF
abundant fuel and a a means OF restor-
M fertility to the soil. preparing it to
produce again more valuable. n larger
proportion OF the pine forests OF the
coast region has been destroyed ia \ North
Carolina, than in the other Southern
States. This part OF the State lOug been
the seat of important timbermg has op-
eratious. while the manufacture ot naval
stores. once almost exclusively confined
to North Carolina. and always an lmpor-
tant industry here, has seriously injured
these forests. Toe original forests have
BEEN practically removed from the North
eastern part OF the state, the great re
lion watered 10y numerous streams
tl0winr into the Albemarle and Pamlico
sounds; and although some lumber,
Iareiy second growth pine trees Of poor
quality. is produced he e, the inpor-
| tancc of these forests is not great. The
understandable pine, too, has been re-
moved from the banks Of the Cape Fear
land other rivers flowing through the
| : utheru portion ot the State, and al
/ Though these streams still yield annual
! ly a large number OF logs, they are only
procucd at a constantly icreasmg dis
lance from then baLks and with con,
sequeut increasing cost Of transport.
Manufacturers OF cooperagc and whee
stock. industries which once tlourlshed IL
the eastern and central sections OF the
State, already suffer from exhaustion
and deterioration Of material such IN
dustries, however are increasing ia the
extreme western counties, aud proml-
to attain there au important dcveLope
ment.'
Aud again on page 80 The repor
saws: The most valuable hardwood
forest remaining on the continent eN
exists in southwestern Virginia and tn,
adjacent counties Of West Virginia
Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Caro-
Ina. Aad it might have and addeo
that. in North Carolina these hardwoo,
forests extend over a large part OF th
mountain region Of the state.
Duriuy the three years that lay
been resident of North Carolina.
have ayailed myself ot every opportunj
ty to examine the forest. At some I'll
ture time | Will send you the result @
my observations in other sections c
:, the State; at present | wish to contiu
nv remarks to the middle section, an
in this | viii be bliet.
OF the land in this middle section pro
babIv 50 or 60 per cent, j. covered wit
forest growth. But my own observa
tons lead me to believe that over lar2
norton Of this forest covered area th
timber. as sucl, IS OF no great value
The more valuable trees have in man
cases been removed, for purposes s
manufacture into cooperage. whee
. stock, etc. and throughout the entiI
. section we have kept up system {
fencing, which has called from our tol
ests, year by year the more valuabl
trees not used up for other purpose:
; The result is, that at the present tim
we may often examine many acres {
of even heavily wooded areas. - withol
finding any large number Of valuab
; timber trees. One never realizes ho
how true this is until he goes into tt
forests to pick out fine specimen.
| never realized until during the pa:
wear when selecting timber specimen
for the Raleigh and New Orleans Exp
sitons. what small percentage
forest trees would stand the test. Th
traa yyOull no foo small This one tWiS