Evening star., 1901-11-04
NEW TIMBER FIELDS
Lumber Acreage Of the South Has
Great Value.
REPORT OF BUREAU OF FORESTRY
Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wis
consin Almost Exhausted.
IMPROVED METHODS IN USE

The bureau Of forestry of the United
States Department Of Agriculture continues
to receive requests for advice and assist
ance in the management of private wood
lands in the south. One of the latest re-
quests is for a working plan for 100000
acres of longleaf pine land in southeastern
Texas, the property of the Kirby Lumber
Company and the Houston Oil Company Of
Texas.
The holdings of these companies cover
about 80 per cent of the virgin forest of
longleaf pine in Texas. The officials state
they are anxious to exploit their forests on
scientific lines. cutting the merchantaple
timber in such way as to insure protec-
tion to the young growth. A preliminary
examination of this large tract will ba
made during the winter by agents of the
bureau This large area Of timber land If
handled on the lines which the bureau will
advise, is expected to prove to be one of
the most interesting undertakings in the
line of forestry by private owners yet at
tempted in the United States.
Recent Requests From the South.
1.-The above request for assistance is but
one of a number that have recently been
received by the bureau of forestry reads a
report just issued by the Agricultural De-
partment. The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company has asked for a working
plan for it's tract of 125,OO0 acres of mixed
hard and soft woods, situated in Nicholas
and Pocahontas counties, southeastern
West Virginia. Burton & Co. have asked for
an examination of their tract Of 25.U0
acres of pine land situated In Berkeley
county, South Crolina. The East Terr essee
Iron and Coal Company, owning G0OO0
acres of hardwoods in the Cumberland
mountains, desires to cut it's timber con-
servative lines, and has requested a pre-
lmfnary examination of it's tract.
From North Carolina comes request
from Mr.. Hugh McRae, for advice ir the
handling Of 5000 acres Of hardwood sit
uated near Grandfather mountain. A re-
quest has been received from the Georgia
Iron and Coal Company, with headquarters
at Atlanta, Ga. This company desires ad-
vice in the handling Of two tracts; one Of
1900 acres in Barlow county, and the
other Of 10000 acres in Dade county. An
examination is also asked for by another
firm for 5000 acres Of pine land in Polk
county, Ga. Agents of the bureau OF for
estry will inspect these tracts at early
date.
"A working plan is to be made this win
ter by the bureau of forestry for tho wood
lands belonging to the Okeetee Club, the
preliminary examination having already
been made. This tract is located in Beau
fort and Hampton counties South Carolina,
and contains 6O,OOO acres of longieaf pine
land.
Wide Acreage Controlled.
'The foregoing include only the most re-
cent requests for assistance from private
owners in the south. The bureau for more
than year past has been co-operati ting
in the handling Of timber tracts in that
section At Sewanee, Tenn, the domain
OF the University Of the South, consisting
Of 1000 acres of hardwoods, is being lum-
bered according to a working plan made
by the agents of the bureau. A working
plan has also been completed for 100000
acres of pine lands in Arkansas, belonging
to the Sawyer & Austin Lumber Company
Of Pine Bluff Another interesting piece of
work just completed by the bureau is a
working plan for a tract of 60 600 acres In
southeastern Missouri, belonging to the
Deering Harvester Company of Chicago.
During the summer the agents of the
bureau Of forestry have been at work col
lecting the necessary data for a working
plan for $1,000 acres in Polk and Monroe
counties, east Tennessee. This tract is the
property of United States Senator George
Peabody Wetmore of Rhode Island, and
the timber consists of a wide range of
hardwoods. A working plan has also been
made during the past field season for a
tract Of 60000 acres In the Cumberland
mountains of Tennessee.
Southern States Interested.
I'm October, 1885, continues the report
''the United States Department of AgricuI-
ture. through it's division of forestry. first
offered to give practical assistance to farm
ers, lumbermen and others in the handling
of their forest lands. The response to this
offer was immediate, and in three years
private owners of over 100000 acres of
woodland have availed themselves Of the
opportunity.
I'm no part of the country is wider in
terest being shown in conservative forest
management by private owners. than In
the southern states. Up to date the amount
of private lands in the south, for which
advice in handling has been asked of the
bureau, is ,534. 600 acres, and very large
part of the work which will be done by the
bureau for private owners in the immediate
future win be in that section.
THE industrial development of the south
on all sides during the last ten years has
been remarkable, but no single industry
has made greater strides than the lumber
business. This Is not surprsin,, when it
is considered that the southern states con-
tam a greater percentage of forest area
than any other section of the United States
Ihe south has become very important
factor in the lumber markets Of the world
not only through it's wealth of forests but
from the fact that it has unusually good
transportation facilities In rea ching the
home markets southern lumbermen have
the advantage of number of excellent
railroad systems to handle their products
and such important Seaports as Norfolk
Charleston, Savannah. Mobile Tampa New
Orleans and Galveston provide excellent
outlets through which to reach the foreign
markets
New Fields Opened.
Within recent years many lumbermen
from the north have been attracted to the
southern field; the forests of Pennsylvania
Michigan and Wisconsin having been al
most exhausted, many Of the leading wood
men of those states are now engaged in
cutting timber in the south. The forests
of the three states just mentioned were
once considered inexhaustfole, but once
numbering begins in earnest 40 forest area
is inexhaustible. The present condition of
the forests in many northern and eastern
states Is sufficient evidence on this point
THE south now has a great army of
lumbermen cutting away its forests and