The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1905-03-17
Forest conditions in Northern New
mp3hire.

S01Ie Which, llcS MI III VI OHuoi
Lake and east of the low lying
agricultural lands along the
Connecticut River is almost en-
tirelv forest covered, and for the
most part will always be most
valuable under forest growth. 1t
contains % per cent of the total
area of the State or nearly 1000,
600 acres.
In the winter of 1903 the State
Legislature appropriated $4,000
for an examination and study of
this region by the Bureau of For
estry. A full report on this work
has been prepared, and will soon
he published by the Bureau. 1t
includes a description and es-
innate of the forest by drainage
basins, on account of the char
acteristics of all important timber
trees, careful discussion of
forest fire and their effects and a
study of the lumber, paper pulp,
and other State industries de-
pendent upon the forest.
The region studied constitutes
two classes, which differ consld-
erably both in general character
and in forest growth. The
southern of these is the White
Mountain region, which contains
Approximately $4,000 acres. 1t
is very rough and rugged. with
numerous broken mountain ranges
intersected by deep, narrow val
1eys, with steep slopes, rapid
streams, and all the conditions
which invite soil erosion and per-
manent denudation of forest
growth on the higher slopes, If
careful numbering is not practlced
and fire is not kept out. In the
extreme southern part of this re-
gion second-growth white pine
forms valuable part of the forest
on the lower lands, but spruce IS
in general the leading commercial
species. Before numbering began
spruce was much more common
than now, and the effect of pres
ent methods is still further t. de-
crease its representation and to
substitute for it the hardwoods,
which are usually of much lower
commercial value.
The region north of the White
Mountains is characterized by
hills or low mountains and wide
valleys, and contains many lakes.
Here the spruce and balsam form
a greater proportion of the forest
growth than in the White Noun
tain region. While the greater
part of this area has been cut
over the numbering has not been
so intensive as in the White
Mountains, but has consisted
chiefly in culling out the best
spruce, pulp wood of small dimen-
s1ons not having been so eXten-
sively cut. AS a consequence
there is a great deal of small
spruce and balsan on cut-over
land. The region is admirably
suited for continued timber pro-
ducti IN, and owing to its inacces-
sibility forest fires are not severe.
Until 1869 the greater part of
the White Mountain region was
owned by the State. Since then
the State has sold large and small
tracts at nominal prices, until to-
day all the forest land is IN
private ownership, most of it held
by large lumber and pulp COM
panies. These companies are
making formidable inroads upon
the forests. Seven companies
own nearly all the timber land,
and three of them cut annually
about 75,OOO,OOO, board feet,
mostly from virgin forests. To
this must be added the tremen-
dous losses by fire. In 1908 nearly
$4,000 acres were burned over,
with loss of over 100000, not
Including the very great damage
to the young growth and the pro
ductive capacity of the forest. 1t
is hopeful sign, that two OF these
companies have adopted the
policy of conservative numbering.
OF the total area examined, APP
proximately 1000, 600 acres, 989,-
592 are covered with softwoods,
34.752 with pine, ass, lis with
harlwoods, and Pa, O63 acres are
agricultural lands; the remainder
is made up of burned, waste and
barren land, and lakes and
streams. The virgin merchanta-
BILE forests comprise but 100000
acres. while there are 1,363,711
acres of cut-over or culled land,
and 120, 495 acres of barren and
waste land. The present stand
of softwoods is computed to be
4,764, 100000 board feet and the
annual cut is 1868, 900 feet. In
1900 the wooded area of the en-
tire State was 3,228,0O0 acres ard
the cut for lumber amounted to
$40, 357, 900 board feet. This is
equivalent to III board feet per
acre of wooded area, and is more
intensive numbering than IN any
of the big timber States, Wis
cors being next with Us board
feet per acre.
In relative Importance in New
Hampshire the lumber industry
stands third the DaDer industry