Bulletin


STATE OF ILLINOIS

DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION

DIVISION OF THE

NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY
STEPHEN A. FORBES. Chief

Vol. XVI. BULLETIN Article I.

Third Report on a Forest Survey of Illinois

CLARENCE J. TELFORD

PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

URBANA, ILLINOIS

March, 1926



ERRATA

Page 2, line 6, for loan read loam.

Page 4, line 18 from bottom, beech (after water beech) should be followed by a

semicolon.

Page 138, line 10 and line 14 from bottom, for Dane read Dann.

Page 139, line 5, for Dane read Dann.

Page ISO, line 5 from bottom, delete D.

Page 198, line 19 from bottom, for March read March 16, IfllS.

Page 221, line 22, for data read date.

Page 278, lines 17 and 18 from bottom in right-hand column, for ].'>0 read 158.

Page 285, line 24 in left-hand column, for Franch read French.

Page 321, table III, center column, for 1.02 read 1.00+ ; for l.OJ, read 1.02; for

1.06 read 1.0.',.

Page 411, line 4, for pupation read breaking dormancy .



STATE OP ILLINOIS

DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION

A. M. Shelton, Director

BOARD OP

NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION

A. M. Shelton, Chairman

Wn.LiAM Trelease, Biology

Henry C. Cowtes Forestry

Edson S. Bastin, Geology

William A. Notes, Chemistry

John W. Alvoud, Engineering

Kendkic C. Babcock, Representing the

President of the University of Illi-

nois

THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION

Stephen A. Porbes, Chief

ScHNEPp & Barnes, Printers
Springfield, 111.

1926



CONTENTS
Introduction iv

Part I. Description of the forests 1

Physiograpliic features 1

The original forests of Illinois 2

Outline of forest use from original to present forests 6

Present forests of Illinois 8

General comparison of bottomland and upland forests 8

Forest types 9

Bottomland types 10

Upland types 11

Bottomland type:

(1) Cypress and mixed hardwood 12

(2) Mixed hardwood bottoms of the main streams 16

The Wabash River system 17

The Big Muddy River system 21

The Kaskaskia River system 23

The Mississippi River system 24

The Illinois River system 28

The Rock River system 30

(3) Mixed hardwoods of bottoms of secondary streams 30

Upland type:

(1) Post oak 32

(2) Scrub-oak 35

(3) Upland hardwoods 41

Subtype (a) upland mixed hordwoods 42

Subtype ( b ) oak-hickory 54

Forest acres by counties—present (1924) and original 58

Plates MX G4-72

Part 11. Growth and yield studies 73

(1) Studies of growth rates of individual trees 73

[Table 1, showing soil type best suited to certain species] 78-79

[Table 2, showing species best suited to specific soil type] SO

Table 3. Average growth-rates on specific soil-types for 20-year

periods for 25 tree species to show soil type best suited to

species S1-S9

[Lists summarizing results of studies of average growth] 90-91

[Illinois counties classified on basis of soil reports:

(1) those for which maps are available; (2) those for which
unpublished information is available; (3) those for which no

information is available] .• 92

(2) Studies of yields 92

Post-oak type 93

Scrub-oak type 94

Upland hardwood type 94

Bottomland type 95

Yield tables for even-aged stands in Illinois 95

(1) Upland types:
Post-oak type 95

Scrub-oak type 96
Upland harilwood type 96

(2) Bottomland type:

[Rapidly growing species] 96
[Slow-growing species] 97

(3) [Fully stocked virgin stands:]
Upland hardwoods 97
Bottomland stands 97

Part III. Proposed state forest policy 98
Conclusion 101
Literature cited 102

iii



INTRODUCTION

Until very recent years definite knowledge of the amounts and con-

dition of our timber resources and the demands upon them has been so

limited that a reliable estimate of our timber requirements and supplies

at any future period has been impossible. It is now common knowledge

that the present forests of the United States contain an estimated total

of 481,800 million cubic feet of standing timber; that the annual drain

of 25,000 million cubic feet is partially offset by a growth of 6,039 million

cubic feet ; and that the virgin forests will carry us another twenty-five

years, after which we shall probably be wholly dependent upon growth
from cut-over lands. By utilizing the entire 470 million acres of forest

land, at prevailing rates of growth these cut-over lands can supply us

with an estimated annual yield of 14,000 million cubic feet—a little more
than half our present requirements.

The conviction that satisfactory substitutes for wood will be found

is untenable when the enormous amount of wood required is appreciated.

This drain of 25,000 million cubic feet of standing timber a year means

that for every hundred pounds of coal, iron, cement, petroleum, and cop-

per consumed the forests supply 67 pounds of wood, and the crop lands

supply 44 pounds of all forms of crops including cereals, seeds, clover,

hay, forage, cotton, potatoes, sugar, fruit, and nuts. It is obvious that a

satisfactory substitution for a commodity representing by weight two

thirds of virtually all the minerals consumed, or one and a half times all

crops raised in the United States, is impossible.

A timber famine will be more disastrous to Illinois than to any

other state. Her manufacturing establishments employ 11.6 per cent

more hands than agriculture, transportation, and mining combined, and

thirty per cent of all persons employed in manufacture are in industries

dependent upon wood. In the single item of lumber Illinois consumes

one thirtieth the total lumber-cut of the world.

There is a striking parallel between Illinois and Great Britain in the

total wood consumption and .in the total area forested. Each annually

consumes approximately the same quantity of wood—560,720,000 cubic

feet for Illinois and 600,000,000 cubic feet for Great Britain ; each has

about the same area forested—3,021,650 for Illinois, and about 3,000,000

acres for Great Britain. But Great Britain, despite a population of 437.5

to the square mile as compared with 115.7 in Illinois, and the consequent

pressure for land, has deliberately undertaken to replant 1,770,000 acres

and this planting is being done at the rate of 20,000 acres a year. Illinois

has never planted 200 acres of publicly owned forests, her farm wood-
lands are decreasing at the rate of 4,500 acres a year, and the unimproved

and waste land on farms is increasing at the rate of 25,000 acres a year.

The State Natural History Survey has undertaken an inventory of

the forests, and the purpose of this report is to present the area and con-

dition of the forests of Illinois, and to show the productiveness of the

common soil types in terms of forest crops.



Map I. Areas originally forested. Drawn from maps and data
of the State Soil Survey.



TYPES

[ I

UPLAND HAHPWOOD

[i-^ SCRUB OAK

^ POST OAK

/1/X£P mfWWl

/iAPQF ILUNOI

6H0W/NG
GENERAL LOCATION

OF

FOREST TYPES



Article I.

—

Third Report on a Forest Siin'ev of Illinois. By
Clarence J. Telford. Forester, Illinois State Natural History Survey.

Part I. Description of the Forests

Physiographic Features

In preglacial times Illinois was not a prairie state, but was character-

ized by hills and valleys such as are found in the unglaciated area of

Jo Daviess county today. When the ice sheets retreated, Illinois, except

for a few places, was extensively covered by a deep mantle of soil, the

old valleys were filled and the preglacial eminences modified and buried

until the surface was a flat to rolling upland. During the period when
the glaciers were melting great quantities of water were released, found
outlets across this mantle of raw soil, and quickly sluiced out wide chan-
nels. The flooding was apparently intermittent, and during the periods

of restricted stream-flow the exposed deposits of finely ground glacial

debris, drying, were carried widely by winds and deposited extensively

over Illinois.

Thus the topography of the state is that of an elevated plain having
a slight slope to the south. Large streams have cut wide channels through
the deep soils, and the boundary between the uplands and the large stream
valleys is characterized by the abrupt bluff condition of an upland region

geologically young. Lesser streams cut through the bluffs to the main
rivers, forming often a hilly topography near the blufi^s, but the relief

becomes less pronounced as the distance from the larger streams increases.

The level expanse of the glaciated area is dissected by innumerable
streams and further broken by moraines and partially buried preglacial

eminences rising above the general level.

Geologists recognize at least four periods of ice invasion in the state ;

but for a distinction of forest from prairie soils, two divisions suffice

—

(1) the Lower-Middle and Lower Illinoisan and (2) all others. Forests
were the prevailing type of vegetation over the first of these divisions and
grassy prairie the prevailing type over the second.

The Lower-Middle and Lower Illinoisan glaciation extended farther

south than any of the other ice sheets, the southern limit reaching north-

ern Johnson county, or approximately latitude 37 degrees 45 minutes N.
The northern boundary conforms to the moraines of the Wisconsin glaci-

ation from Paris to Shelbyville, and to the division between the Middle
Illinoisan and the Lower-Middle Illinoisan from Shelbyville to Carlinville,

or approximately latitude 39 degrees 20 minutes N. The subsoils of ex-

tensive areas of this region are but slightly pervious and the black surface
soils, whose color is due to a partial decay of grass and prairie vegetation,



were wanting in this region. Forests occupied the area and open prairies

were the exception.

North of this region the tight clay subsoil does not generally appear.

Although! most of the other glacial deposits were made subsequent to the

Lower lUinoisan deposits, yet in these other regions conditions favorable

to a sod resulted in the building up of a loan rich in organic matter, the

black loams of the true prairie. Tree growth here was limited to stream

valleys and to eroded slopes or moraines, and grassy prairies were the rule.

Although glaciation has modified the relief throughout 93% of the

state, yet the three unglaciated regions, Jo Daviess county, Calhoun
county, and the entire southern 35 miles of the state, show a decidedly

broken topography. The highest and lowest points in the state are with-

in these regions, and the difference of relief may be 500 feet in a quarter
section. Rock outcrops are common, clear streams follow a steep gra-

dient over a rocky bed, and these regions present features quite at vari-

ance with the usual conception of Illinois. The soils over this unglaci-

ated portion are not generally deep, excepting certain areas adjoining the

Mississippi flood-plain where the loessial deposits occasionally attain a
depth of thirty feet. These unglaciated areas were heavily forested and
remain today the most picturesque and heavily wooded regions of the

state.

The Original Forests of Illinois

In the solitude of the forest, surrounded by venerable trees, the im-
pression is one of immutability as eternal as the hills. Yet change and
movement is written in every chapter of forest history from that distant

age when Mesozoic seas washed the roots of tree ferns, down to today.
Pine followed tree fern, broad-leaved species followed pines. Long
periods elapsed when soil and climatic conditions were stable, certain

types of tree associations developed, and held the land until some shift

of the earth's crust or change in the climate altered conditions and ushered
in a new type of forest. The obliteration might be complete, as when
the sea or ice came over the land, or it might be a gradual transformation.
Palms and figs flourished in Illinois at certain periods ; later fir and spruce
followed the retreating ice sheets. Broad-leaved species eventually sup-
planted the conifers over most of the state. These broad-leaves were
extending out onto the prairies when the white settler appeared, and along
the Wabash and Ohio River they surpassed in size the hardwoods of any
other region of America.

To the pioneers the prairies were a novel feature, and it naturally

followed that Illinois should be called the prairie state, yet we find that

her forests occupied nearly as much area as her prairies, and were unusual
in both variety of species and sizes attained by individual trees. These
original forests occupied something over fifteen and a quarter million

acres, or 43.58 per cent of the land surface of the state. They dominated
the upland and bottomland throughout the southern third of the state



and along the western and northern parts, but in central Illinois were

restricted to the stream valleys in the prairie counties.

The number of tree species found in these original forests was

greater than in any state of similar or higher latitude and was probably

surpassed by but nine in the United States. Omitting the genus Crataegus

(hawthorn) Sargent '22 lists the number of native tree species in certain

states as follows: Florida, 226; Texas, 186; Georgia, 175; North Caro-

lina, 169; South Carolina, 154; Alabama, 15-1; Mississippi, 139; Tennes-

see, 130; Louisiana, 129; Arkansas, 120; California, 116; Indiana. 114;

Pennsylvania, 110; New York, 102. Excluding the Crataegi there are

herbarium specimens of at least 124 native tree species, and 23 additional

varieties of some of them, which have been collected in Illinois, and there

are 15 naturalized species.

The range in variety of species from the cypress-gum forests of

southern Illinois to the larch swamps of northern Illinois was matched by

very wide extremes in the development of the trees. In the lower Ohio

and Wabash valleys grew the largest hardwoods on this continent, while

on the sand plains of parts of the Mississippi Valley the scrub oak scarce-

ly attained the height of a tree.

A general description of the original forests follows : In the bottom-

lands of the extreme southern region a belt of cypress and mixed hard-

woods extended from central Wabash county down the Wabash and Ohio
rivers and up the Mississippi as far as southern Union county. In the

Wabash country cypress did not extend far from the main river bottom,

but in the extreme southern part it grew in the sloughs of the Cache River

area and extended up some of the lesser tributaries of the Cache. In this

region associated species were tupelo .gum, water elm, swamp cottonwood,

red gum, and soft maple. Elsewhere tupelo was probably supplanted by
soft maple, red gum, and elm. The cypress of Illinois never attained

the size of the same species to the south, but it has been a valuable timber

tree even here.

Extending along the flood-plains of the larger streams of the state

was a splendid hardwood forest. That in the Ohio-Wabash region was
the finest hardwood type in the country, and the forests along the other

streams were scarcely less impressive in number of species and in the size

of individual trees. The principal species were pecan, bitternut, shell-

bark and mocker-nut hickories, willows, cottonwood and swamp cotton-

wood, river birch, white, bur, lyre-leaved, yellow, swamp-white, cow,

Schneck's, pin, shingle, and swamp Spanish oaks ; white elm, hackberry,

red gum, sycamore, Kentucky coflfee-tree, honey locust, red and silver

maples, box-elder, and blue, red, green, black, and white ashes. Catalpa

grew in the \\'abash-Ohio region. In the Kaskaskia bottomland pin oak
had a tendency to fomi nearly pure stands. Towards the northern part of

the state river birch was frequent on the bottomlands, but swamp cotton-

wood, several oaks, and red gum, did not grow there. Bur oak was largely

restricted to the bottomlands in the southern part of the state ; but in the

northern region it grew extensively on the uplands as well. The syca-



mores of the Wabash bottoms attained the greatest circumference of

American broad-leaves. The largest circumference on record is 42 feet

3 inches at a point 5 feet from the ground for a tree standing on the In-

diana side of the Wabash (Deam '21). Another, near JMt. Carmel, Illi-

nois, in 1875 measured 160 feet in height, with a circumference at the

base of 43 feet, and a spread of crown of 134 feet. (Ridgway '83.)

Probably 80 feet represents the approximate height above ground of

much of the better type of forests of Illinois that we are familiar with,

and 125 feet represents the height of the present tallest broad-leaved tree,

outside of this Wabash region, actually recorded in field work. These
splendid bottomland forests of the Wabash country, with an average tree-

top level of 130 feet (Ridgway "?3), were above the height of our pres-

ent highest trees, while the tallest trees were probably 300 feet in height,

nearly twice the height of the tallest trees from other regions of the state.

Individual acres of cypress bottomlands and of the mixed hardwoods
yielded more than 25,000 B. F., and the average for the bottomland forests

of the state was probably 9,000 B. F. to the acre.

Along the bottomlands of the secondary streams the forests were a

rich mixture of hardwoods. Black walnut here found its best develop-

ment, and in the northern part of the state basswood often formed an

appreciable part of the forest. The average yield for this type in the

original stands was about 8,000 B. F. per acre.

The upland forests of the state showed several notable regional dif-

ferences. In the broken, hilly Ozark region, and extending over the dis-

sected bluffs bordering the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, and Wabash rivers,

was an excellent upland forest characterized by a greater variety and
better development of species than elsewhere in the upland forests of the

state. The species common to this region were black walnut ; butternut

;

shagbark, big-shellbark, mocker-nut, and pignut hickories ; ironwood,

water beech ; beech, white, bvu", red, and black oaks ; white and slippery

elm, hackberry, red mulberry, cucumber-tree, tulip-poplar, papaw,
sassafras, red gum, shadbush, black cherry, honey locust, Kentucky coffee-

tree, hard maple, black maple, Ohio buckeye, sweet buckeye, basswood,

black gum, persimmon, and white ash. Individual acres of this upland

type yielded more than 13,000 B. F., and the average for the type was
probably 6,000 B. F. per acre.

Over the poorly drained area of south-central Illinois where the de-

posits of the Lower Illinois glaciation prevail, there is an extensive region,

occupied by comparatively poor forests in which but few species were

represented. Open inter-stream savannas broke up the continuity of the

forests
;
post oak grew in pure stands on the poorest soils ; hickory and

black oak grew on the better soils ; and the average yield for this post-oak

flat type was probably not more than 1,500 B. F. per acre.

Throughout the remaining forested uplands of the state the forests

were largely made up of the oaks, with some hickory. These oak-hickory

forests extended along the small streams and carried on a continuous

struggle for possession of the prairies. The pioneers describe them as



of grove-like aspect, bordering the streams and thinning rapidly as the

prairie was approached. Toward the margin the forest floor was car-

peted with a dense growth of seedling sprouts growing between the scat-

tered old trees. These sprouts were annually killed by fires, the occa-

sional survivors developing into gnarled, fire-scarred outposts of the

forest margin. The average vield for this oak-hickory type was probably

3,000 B. F. per acre.

One other extensive and three limited types are worthy of mention.

Throughout the northern part of the state are extensive areas of sandy

soils. Whether on the flood-plain of a large river or as an interior sand

hill, the type of vegetation reflects the lack of soil moisture. Character-

istically desert forms, such as cactus (prickly pear) may be found. Under
certain conditions the vegetation assumed the character of a forest. Scrub
oak is one of the commoner species but, with increase in water content

of the soil, black oak and hickory occur, and on the best sites white oak
grows. Jack pine grows with the scrub oak in the sand area south of

Lake Michigan. The pioneers found much of this sand land an unfor-

ested waste ; and where forests prevailed the average yield was probably

1,500 B. F. per acre.

Now limited to less than a dozen small areas in Lake and ]\IcHenry

counties, though probably in recent times in many other sections, are the

tamarack swamps so common to Wisconsin and regions to the north.

These stands occupy parts of swamps, and the trees are generally small.

In two localities in the southern part of the state may be found stands

of shortleaf pine. These occupy very exposed slopes on bluffs, and the

trees scarcely grow to sawlog size.

The original forest also held a few groves of white pine in addition

to scattered specimens. The southern limit of the species for this region

was represented by a grove of two acres on the west bluff of Spoon River

about one mile south of Dahinda, Knox county. North of the Illinois

River, an occasional tree grew on the stream bluffs ; and there is still a

healthy stand of nearly pure pine about eight miles west of Oregon, Ogle
county.

Compared with the United States as a whole, Illinois had almost ex-

actly the average relationship between forested and non-forested area.

The estimated area originally forested for the United States was 43.3 per

cent of the land area, that of Illinois 42.58 per cent. Comparison of

average B. F. yields for the areas actually timbered shows that the United
States had an estimated average of 6,326 B. F. per acre against 4,281

B. F. per acre for forested areas of Illinois. The lower yield per acre in

Illinois forests is due to their predominantly hardwood character—hard-
woods averaging less than half the yield of conifers under similar con-
ditions.

Thus the original forests of Illinois are estimated to have contained

65,385,884,000 B. F. or 16,346,471,000 cubic feet of lumber. Based upon
the present average wood requirements per capita for Illinois, this forest

contained a quantity of lumber sufficient to supply all the wood needed



from settlement until 1890, but the requirements of the state now have SO

increased that, whereas this original forest would have supplied sufficient

wood to carry the population for the first 80 years, it contained less than

a twenty-year supply under present conditions.

The table on pages 58-63 shows the forested areas present and orig-

inal, by counties.

Outline of Forest Use From Original to Present Forests

The importance of forests to a pioneer people is admirably shown by
the trend of settlement in Illinois. In 1800 Lexington, Kentucky, with

3,000 people, was the largest town west of the Alleghanies ; and the total

American population of Illinois was probably not as large as that of

Lexington. By 1820 Illinois had a population of 55,311, practically all

within the forested area. The pioneers built near the navigable rivers;

succeeding settlers pushed farther from the river up smaller streams, but

always settled in the forest where clear running water and material for

fuel and shelter were available. Thus the initial settlement, concentrating

upon the forested areas, resulted in the rapid clearing of the secondary
stream-bottoms and some of the wooded uplands, and thus far pioneer-

ing in Illinois continued the practices of the older colonies. Some of the

best of the original forest was destroyed to provide crop land, but there

yet remained the heavy flood-plain forests of the larger rivers and a large

per cent of the upland forests.

Over half the state was prairie land, until 1830 regarded as a desert.

About this time the discovery that prairie land was good crop land initiat-

ed a flood of immigration. Between 1820 and 1870 the population of

the United States quadrupled, while the population of Illinois increased

forty-six times. In 1830 the settlement of the prairies began, and by
1840 less than one twenty-fifth remained unsettled, and this unsettled

part was the finest of the black soil belt of Champaign and Ford coun-

ties. In this decade over 300,000 people settled on the prairies, creating

an enormous demand for housing material, fuel, and fence posts. Rail-

roads did not exist, and overland wagon-haul for lumber was out of the

question. Under these conditions, local supplies of timber were the con-

trolling factors in prairie settlement. Prairie land could not be sold un-

less several acres of forested land were included, and the relative values

of prairie and forest per acre were about 1 to 7. Prairie land commonly
sold for $5.00 per acre, woodland for $35.00 per acre, and frequently

such woodland was several miles from the farm.

Gaged by our standards, the prairie pioneer was obliged to be waste-

ful. Sawmills scarcely existed. His buildings were constructed from
logs, his fences from poles or rails. Open fireplaces consumed great

quantities of fuel wood. He experienced a timber shortage at the very

beginning ; and, under pressure of dwindling local supplies, he established

forest plantations about his prairie home. If he had a wood-lot he used

the timber wisely. Fires were stopped and sprouts, which formerly were
destroyed, developed into thrifty trees. As a consequence the limited



remaining forests were building up under favorable conditions. About
1855 rail and water transportation were so developed that the prairie

farmer could replace his log buildings with white pine lumber from the

great pineries of the Lake States. His fuel problem was solved by the

perfection of the coal stove. With the development of rail and water

transportation, land values were reversed in this region. In Logan county

$10.00 prairie land went to $50.00 while $50.00 timber-land dropped to

$25.00 an acre. Woodland came to be regarded as an encumbrance.

Arable parts were cleared, grazing was practiced, and these forests suf-

fered a deterioration which has continued to the present day.

Coincident with the utilization of these original forests adjacent to

the prairies, the process of nibbling in the non-prairie forested region con-

tinued. Here timber was destroyed and wasted as a thing of little value.

Until 18G0 agriculture was the only important industry in the forested

area. Then progressive development of railroads made a market for ties.

Wood-using industries sprang up along the river towns and furnished a

market for the better grade of the better species. In 1860 the timber

owner might find a market only for the best of his yellow poplar, white

oak, and black walnut logs. By 1870 ninety-two of the 102 counties of

the state had manufacturing establishments dependent upon wood. The
total number of such establishments was 19.44 per cent of all manufactur-
ing establishments of the state, employing 31.5 per cent of all persons

engaged in manufacturing industry, and producing 20.51 per cent of the

value of all manufactures of the state. To keep these industries supplied

wood was imported from other states. By 1870 Rock Island county led

all counties in value of the lumber sawed, with Pulaski second. Logs
from the Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan pineries were rafted down
to Illinois towns along the Mississippi or Lake Michigan, and manufac-
tured into lumber to a total of 26 per cent of all lumber manufactured
within the state. During the eighties the Lake pineries reached their

peak of production. Rock Island county sawed 70,000,000 feet annually,

or a fifth of all produced within the state, and other points drew upon
these pineries. By 1900 thirty-four per cent of all lumber produced in

the state was sawed from imported white pine logs, and the total lumber
production for Illinois reached its highest point with 381,584- M. B^ F.
By 1909 lumber from such imported logs ceased to be a factor and pro-
duction had dropped to 170,181 M. This total production was further
reduced to 64,628 M. in 1919 as the original forests were drained. Per-
haps 22,000 acres of virgin forest, about one township, remain of the
original 15,310,205 acres of Illinois forests. This remnant occurs chiefly

on the undrained flood-lands of the large rivers. The remaining forest

is a culled or second-growth type. The reduction in area and yield of
Illinois forest is shown by the following tabulation.

Year Area timbered
on farms

1800 (original forest).

1870 5,061,578
1923 2,815,150

Total area



The original forests have been reduced in area 80.22 per cent and the

estimated yields 94.64 per cent.

Present Forests of Illinois

The field work of the survey of the present woodlands in Illinois

was begun during the summer of 1921 and finished in 1924. Approxi-
mately 66 per cent of the state was systematically surveyed to determine
the location, area covered, and condition of the forested areas. The 34
per cent of unsurveyed acreage is in the prairie counties where the small-

est amount of woodland exists.

The methods of making the survey were as follows

:

Forested areas were drawn on a base map of the region. In the very
rough sections where no roads gave access to the country, the ground was
covered on foot or horseback ; over much of the state such mapping was
done from an automobile. Distances to the wood-lot were estimated.

Usually the sections are subdivided into forties by fencing, and this serves

as a useful check. The estimated yield per acre of the area under obser-
vation was entered. As a check occasional samples were tallied and
yields computed. The field data were worked up in the office to show the

total forested areas and yields by counties. The tabulation of this in-

formation is given on pages 58 to 63. The maps III to VI reproduce,
on a scale one fourth as great, nine of a series of twenty-seven maps
made in the working-up of the field data.

general COMrARISON OF BOTTOMLAND AND UPLAND FORESTS

In a description of the present forests of Illinois, several natural

divisions suggest themselves. The two general divisions—bottomlands
and uplands—have forests of quite dissimilar composition.

The bottomland forests of the state originally bore a higher yield

per acre and a greater variety of species than did the uplands. The area

of bottomland estimated to have been covered by these original forests

was 2,898,945 acres, virtually all of the bottomlands of the state. They
probably contained 25,725,724,000 B. F. of lumber, an average of 8,875

B. F. per acre for this large area. Small areas having more than 25,000

B. F. of hardwoods to the acre still remain. The present bottomland
forests cover an area of 739,508 acres, and have an estimated yield of

1,029,937,000 B. F. ; an average of 1,393 B. F. per acre. Efficient log-

ging can not ordinarily be carried on in stands of less than 2,000 B. F. to

the acre. Eliminating all stands of saplings—fully stocked immature
stands yet too small to produce lumber profitably—and those stands which
have been culled until only occasional trees are of sawlog size, a state-wide

comparison of desirable sawlog stands between uplands and bottomlands
is about as follows : 8.9 per cent of the upland stands and 22.69 per cent

of the bottomland stands yield 2,000 B. F. or better to the acre. Al-
though the bottomlands occupy but one-quarter of the total forested area
of the state, yet they contain almost as many acres of merchantable sawlog



Average
height



10

Samples of each of these six types were averaged to show species

represented, and the proportion of the stand represented by each species.

Bottomland Types

Species

Cypress and
mixed hardwood

Total



11

types prevail see Map II (facing p. 1). The original woodland areas are

shown by Map I (facing the Introduction). Maps III, IV', V, and
VI (see folders) show forested areas for southern, south central, and

northwestern Illinois respectively. The forested acreage by counties,

present and original, is shown in the tabulation on pages 58-63.

Upland Types



12

BOTTOMLAXD TVPE

(1) CYPRESS AND MIXED HARDWOJI)

The cypress and mixed hardwood type in the original forests bor-

dered the sloughs and poorly drained areas of the Wabash bottoms from
Mt. Carmel in Wabash county southward along the Ohio and Cache, and

up the Mississippi to southern Union county (see Map II, facing p. 1).

The finest stands were in the Cache River bottoms. Limited are'is of pure

cypress were found on the marginal areas of sloughs, but generally cypress

was growing with broad-leaved species. Tupelo gum (Nyssa aqiiafica) ;

water hickory ; elm ; soft maple ; black and sweet gums ; \nn. swamp white,

swamp Spanish, cow, overcup, and bur oaks ; ash : hackberry ; honey

locust ; water locust ; Carolina poplar ; Mississippi cottonwood ; willow
;

sycamore ; big shellbark, shagbark, mocker-nut, and bitternut hickories

were associated species throughout the range. Beech was not an uncom-
mon tree on the bottomlands of the Cache and the Mississippi, but gen-

erally was found on slight elevations subject, however, to inundation.

Catalpa grew in the Wabash and the Cache basins but was absent from
the Mississippi. Pecan grew in the Wabash and the Mississippi but was
rare in the Cache basin.

The original forests containing cypress, pure or mixed with broad-

leaves, could not have exceeded 250,485 acres, and probably amounted

to less. The wooded areas where cypress is now found in commercial

quantities total 31,088 acres in Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Union. John-

son, and Pope counties. This acreage has an estimated total yield of

44,563,000 B. F. for cypress and broad-leaved species. Cypress does not

form more than half of the total yield, and out of a possible total cypress

yield of 22,000,000 B. F. not over 15,000,000 are in the yields heavy

enough to justify logging.

The following quantities are given by the U. S. Census as the cypress

cut for Illinois.

1S99 1,435,000 B. F.

1909 2.183,000 B. P.

1919 2,228,000 B. F.

These figures indicate that the cypress of Illinois will last about seven

years, or until 1931, at the present rate of cutting.

The soils in the Cache basin are largely deep silt loams. Their recog-

nized fertility has led to drainage projects which will eventually convert

much of the cypress area into crop land. This process is well advanced

in the Wabash country, and throughout the cypress mixed hardwood

region all but the wettest areas have been cleared. Over the entire cypress

region but 8.5 per cent of the area originally forested now has timber.

Clearing has been more extensive in this and the mixed hardwoods of

the secondary streams than in any of the other types. The change in

water-level, incident to drainage, results in the death of established trees,

and prevents re-establishment of the species, so that cypress will probably

disappear from the Illinois forests.



13

The bottomland associations in the Cache River basin are cypress and

tnpelo gum near the channels and sloughs, with some willow, elm. soft

maple, sycamore, Carolina poplar. Mississippi Cottonwood, ash, and red

and black gums. Between the sloughs and the better drained parts red

gum, ash, and pin oak form the bulk of the stand and water hickory may
be found. On the better drained parts of the flood lands, the stands show

a greater variety of species such as white, swamp white, Spanish, cow,

overcup, bur and willow oaks ; ash ; hackberry ; shagbark, big shellbark,

mocker-nut. and bitternut hickories ; honey and water locust ; and even

beech and hard maple. Approximately 43% of the Cache bottomland

is still timbered.

These forests along the course of the Cache River are rather con-

tinuously wooded areas averaging two miles in width. (See Map III D.

)

The cutting practice has been to harvest the so-called "soft-woods"

and to leave such species as oak and hickory. Consequently, these

forests are composed of groups of young trees filling in between the

old trees which remain. There remain but very few forties which

have not been cut over from one to four times for "softwoods". In spite

of this practice the growth is very fast and the yields per acre high.

The few virgin stands remaining show yields from ID to 15M. B. F.

per acre. ( See Plate VI. Fig. 1.) The average for the entire SO, 199 acres

of Cache bottomland is 1,95G B. F. per acre as contrasted with 1.393

B. F. per acre average for all bottomlands of the state. The representa-

tion by species as given in the tabulation (page 10) shows that 23 com-
mercial species were found on the 15.5 acres measured, and that the oaks

and hickories make up but 17 per cent of the stand, while cypress and
tupelo, unimportant or entirely absent from all other bottomlands, form

in the Cache bottoms 43 per cent of the stand. Representation of species

by per cents based on 15. -iG acres (as shown on p. 10) is as follows:

cypress, 23.5; tupelo gum, 19.8; red gum, 10.5; elm, 9.8; ash. 6.0; white

oak, 5.1 ; soft maple, 4.5 ; black oak, 4.2 ; cottonwood, 4.0 ;
pin oak, 3.3

;

hickory, 2.5; black gum, 1.6; swamp white oak, 1.5; willow, 1.3; hack-

berry, .6; Mississippi cottonwood, .5; sycamore, .5; swamp Spanish oak,

.3; honey locust. .1 ; Schneck's oak, .1 ; cow oak, .1 ; and bur oak, .1.

Thus the Cache bottomland forests are characterized by rather con-

tinuous uneven-aged stands, by the greatest variety of species found on
the bottomlands of any river system of the state, by a high representa-

tion of "softwoods" with such unusual species as cypress and tupelo gum
commonly occurring, and by a relatively high yield per acre.



14

Measurements on a sample acre taken in a virgin tupelo-cypress

slough and representing the better stands of this association are shown
below. The 51 trees 12 inches and up in diameter on this acre were
buttressed so that the diameter measurement was taken at 7 feet instead

of 4J4 feet from the ground. The tupelo gum grows very slowly and
many of the larger trees were three centuries old.

Species



15

u



In the Wabash and SaHne bottomlands the cypress is al^out cut out.

In 1909 Gallatin, Saline, and Hamilton counties were reported to have
cut 525.000 B. F. (Hall and Ingall 1911.) At present cypress is not of
commercial importance north of Pope county. Formerly the associations

were similar to those of the Cache bottomland except that tupelo gum
and water hickory did not grow beyond Gallatin county. The incom-
parable hardwoods of the lower Wabash bottoms associated with the

cypress were the same as those described under the mixed hardwoods of
the main bottomlands (page 3). The reinoval of the cypress is altering

this type along the main bottoms, and the limited forests of the future in

this region will change to the mixed hardwood type.

(2) MIXED HARDWOOD BOTTOMS OF THE M,\IX .STRE.\MS

The division between the mixed hardwood type on the bottoms of

the main streams, and the mixed hardwood type on the bottoms of the

secondary streams is based upon flood conditions. Ordinarily the bot-

toms of the main streams are inundated for several weeks each year, and
during this time the water outside of the channels has very little move-
ment. On the secondary streams, however, the higher gradient insures

that the excess waters will soon be drained off. These bottoms are

flooded for a few days rather than for several weeks. Certain bottom-
land species which are not sensitive to excessive moisture, such as elm,

soft maples, and sycamore, may be found well represented in each type;

others, such as pecan, are naturally adjusted to protracted flood condi-

tions, and are limited to the main bottoms ; while others, such as black
walnut, tulip, and basswood, do not grow well under conditions of pro-

tracted flooding, and are more characteristic of the bottoms of the second-
ary streams.

The original forest of this type, covering 2,383,679 acres, is now re-

duced to 718,303 acres, a reduction of 69 per cent in area. The estimated

original quantity of 20,553,111,000 B. F. has been reduced to 985,374,000
B. F., a reduction of 95 per cent in quantity.

Based on samples totaling 37 acres from sixteen widely separated

counties, the general bottomland representation by species in per cent

is as follows : soft maple, 23 ; elm, 14
;
pin oak, 13 ; ash, 11 ; hickory, 6 ;

white oak, 6 ; cottonwood, 5 ; red gum, 4 ; river birch, 3 ; willow, 3 ; swamp
Spanish oak, 2 ; black oak, 1 ; bur oak, 1 ; basswood, 1 ; black walnut, 1

;

sycamore, 1 ; honey locust, 1 ; hackberry, 1 ;
pecan, 1 ; Schneck's, shingle,

cow, and swamp white oaks ; black gum, cherry, and catalpa aggregating 2.

The detailed description of this type will be taken up by stream sys-

tems, but regional differences may be noted here. In general, the bottom-
land forests of the southern part of the state, (Wabash, Kaskaskia, Big
Muddy, and Lower Mississippi rivers), show a greater variety of species,

and trees attain greater sizes, than they do in the bottomland forests of

the northern part (Illinois, Rock, and Upper Mississippi rivers). All

the bottomland trees of northern Illinois are found in the bottoms of the

southern part ; while such trees as red and black gums, Mississippi cotton-



wood, catalpa, beech, and uvercup, cow. swamp Spanish, and Schneck's

oaks are not native to the bottomlands of the northern region at all. Elm
and soft maple form about 57 per cent of the forest in the northern re-

gion, but only 21 per cent in the southern part. In the north the oaks,

ashes, and hickories form 11 per cent; in the south, 6G per cent of the

forest. Soft maple, the commonest tree in the northern bottomlands,

makes up 4;? per cent of the stand ; while pin oak, the commonest tree in

the southern bottomlands, makes up but 20 per cent of the total stand.

Pecan is an occasional tree in the bottomlands of the Wabash, Ohio, lower

Kaskaskia, lower Illinois, and entire Mississippi, rivers—extending to the

Wisconsin line on the Mississippi—but does not grow on bottomlands of

the Big Muddy or Rock rivers and rarely on those of the Cache.

Acreage and Estimated Yields of Bottomlakd Forests by Riv:;i;s

River system

Wa-
bash

Big Kas-
Muddy kaskia

Illinois Rock
Missis-

sippi



]8

The early logging operations on these bottoms removed a limited

number of trees, but gradually the markets absorbed an increasing variety.

These bottomlands have been rather thoroughly cut over for saw-timber,
until at present only about 11 per cent of the acreage has sufficient saw-
timber to insure profitable logging. The average yield for the entire area
of forested bottomland is the very low figure of 970 B. F. per acre as
contrasted with the average of 1,393 for all bottomlands of the state.

The present stands are very well stocked with saplings and young trees,

and growth is rapid.

Three extensive bodies of bottomland timber remain in the Wabash
region. The main Wabash bottoms, formerly growing the largest hard-

woods in America, have been cleared except for the lower 10 miles. Here
several thousand acres of forested land remain between New Haven and
the junction of the Wabash and the Ohio. It has teen heavily cut over
and the present stand consists of immature timber or a few old pecan
groves. The two other large areas of timbered land in the Wabash re-

gion are on the middle reaches of the Little Wabash River. Forested
bottoms on Skillet Fork below Wayne City, aggregating over 30,000 acres,

still contain several thousand acres of good saw-timber ; while the other
extensive area of forested bottom, on the Little Wabash above Fairfield,

contains about 16,000 acres, mostly of saplings and immature timber.

Drainage projects are developing all three of these forested bottoms, con-
verting forest to crop land. Elsewhere in the Wabash region, the stands
are belts along the streams or limited remnants of the former extensive
forests.

These bottomlands are not subject to excessive deposition or erosion

;

rather, the water backs up over the bottoms, deposits a fine coat of soil,

and eventually recedes. Under such conditions reproduction is very ex-
cellent and forests establish themselves readily.

These forests in the past supplied immense quantities of timber,

mostly rough lumber. In addition special industries drew heavily upon
these rich bottomland forests for material, such as sycamore in the manu-
facture of tobacco cases ; red gum, soft maple, elm for wooden dishes,

lard and sugar containers, egg crates, fruit and berry baskets ; hickory

for vehicle and tool stock ; and white oak and black walnut for high grade
veneers. The saw-timber in the present forests is rapidly being utilized,

and is largely such inferior material as pin oak and defective trees left

from original operations. These stands now produce large quantities of
piling, railroaS car stock, and cross-ties. In the Saline bottomlands even
the pole-wood is worked up into mine timbers ; but over the remainder
of the Wabash system, trees are rarely cut commercially until they reach
pile size.

In summary ; some 30 per cent of the bottomland forests in the

Wabash region are in three large bodies extending back from the stream
two to four miles ; the stands have an abundance of saplings, approach an
even-aged character, have a high representation of pin oak and sweet gum,
and a relatively low representation of soft maple and elm. The "hard-



19

woods", oak and hickory, aggregate 52 per cent of the stand ; and the

average sawlog yield per acre is relatively low.

The occurrence of species by per cents based on 5.53 acres of plots

and line is as follows : pin oak, 30 ; red gum, 20 ; ash, 13 ; white oak, 9
;

elm, 9 ; hickory, 7 ; river biixh, black gum, cow oak, black oak, swamp
white oak, 2 each ; soft maple, 1 ; with honey locust and black walnut
occasional trees. Catalpa is native to these bottomlands. Pecan is com-
mon along the Wabash, but is found less frequently on the heavy soils of

the lesser streams ; while the big shellbark hickory is locally very abun-
dant on these heavy soils.



20

=3 a

KS

CO tH to M lO

to <N (M in irt

N eq Oi cq o
: tr- t- CO Cvin Tt< CO iH

CO * 05 CO o

I CD CO * W5

m P. -335 *J

- fe .MM
O . 3 rt c3

ZcaoSS



A fully stocked acre of 5.j-year-old pin oak in Hamilton county suit-

able for piling bore trees as follows

:



22

below Benton, these true bottomlands are often narrowed where the river

has tut through old river terrace formations. The benches of these for-

mations are from forty to sixty feet above the river and extend back,

occasionally, two miles from it. Generally they are not subject to flood-

ing; and the soils are very heavy, clays being common. The forests on
river terrace soils elsewhere in the state generally more closely resemble
upland than bottomland types ; but in this region they conform more
closely to the bottomland forests and are classed with the bottomland type.

The per cent of the bottomlands which are forested is high (73)
and the forested area seems to be increasing in these bottoms. No im-
portant drainage projects have developed. The coal companies acquire

ownership of the farms, and the forests quickly reclaim the bottomlands.

These stands have been closely culled for saw-timber, and show the low-

est percentage (5.8) of area in good saw-timber for any bottomlands of

the state. The»average yield per acre for all bottomland forested on the

Big Muddy is 1,015 B. F. as compared with the 1,393 average for all

bottomlands of the state. The stands are very well stocked with saplings.

Based on measurements taken on 7.8 acres in three counties, and in-

cluding both bench and true bottomland sites, the representation by
species is in the following per cents : pin oak, 20 ; hickory, 13 ; white
oak, 12 ; elm, 12 ; ash, 10 ; swamp Spanish oak, 9

;
post oak, 5 ; soft maple,

4 ; honey locust, 3 ; sycamore, 2 ; river birch, 2 ; black gum, bur, Schneck's,

and shingle oaks, 1 each, with red gum, hackberry, cherry, black walnut,

and cow and black oaks aggregating 4. The various oaks make up 49
per cent—a decidedly higher representation for oak than is shown for

forests on the other bottomlands of the state. These and the Wabash
bottoms are the only bottomlands which show a higher percentage of the

so-called "hardwoods," oak and hickory, than "softwoods", gum, maple,
elm, sycamore, and woods used in the manufacture of baskets and ham-
pers. In the Big Muddy bottoms these hardwoods aggregate 63 per cent

of the stand.

A plot measured in an 18-year old stand on the true bottomlands
indicated the relatively high volume produced on these soils. See table

following.

Species



23

A plot measured in a 65-year old stand growing on a bench site in-

dicates the relatively slow growth produced on these heavy soils. See

table following.



24

grade old trees and immature trees here form the forest. In the less

accessible areas back from the river many stands of virgin timber remain.

Finally, on accessible areas near the margin, even-aged stands of good

saw-log size indicate that early cutting was heavy in such places. Near

the channels and lower areas elm. soft maple, willow, honey locust, syca-

more, and ash are the commonest trees. Farther back, on the better

drained bottoms, pin oak often forms pure stands. The Kaskaskia for-

ests have a higher percentage of ash, hickory, and white oak than any

other bottomland forests of the state. They resemble those of the Big

Muddy and Wabash bottoms in the high percentage (42) of "hard-

woods", oak and hickory, which make up the stand ; but differ by the

absence of red and black gums, swamp Spanish and Schneck's caks.

Pecan is an occasional tree on the lower part of the river, extending up

as far as Carlyle. Samples, aggregating 6.12 acres, taken in three coun-

ties, show that the stands are largely made up of relatively few species

( 12) in the following per cents : a.sh, 25 ; white oak, 14 ; soft maple, 13
;

hickory, 13 ; elm, 11
;
pin oak, 11 ; black oak, 4 ; sycamore, 3 ; black wal-

nut, 3 ; hackberry, 2 ; river birch, honey locust, and cottonwood occasional.

Thus 91 per cent of the forest consists of hickory, ash, oak, elm, and

soft maple.

These forests are being worked up chiefly as lumber. They contain

large amounts of low-grade species, such as pin oak, and lesser quantities

of merchantable ash, hickory, and walnut.

A sample acre taken in virgin timber shows the following composi-

tion, yields, and sizes of individual trees which were characteristic of

forests growing on the moderately well-drained flood lands.

Species



25

From southern Union county to the Wisconsin border, there is ap-

proximately 533,350 acres of bottomland on the Illinois side. This is

less than the area in bottomland on either the Wabash River or the Illi-

nois River. The soils are very variable, but usually approach clays in

the southern part and sands in the northern. The forested area, totaling

72,010 acres, or 16 per cent of the total bottomland, is about the same as

the forested area on the bottomlands of the Big Muddy River. Thirty-
seven per cent of this area is in timber of good saw-log size ; the average
yield per acre for this bottomland is 1,930 B. F. ; and more than half of

the forested area is in five counties. Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Whiteside
counties in the north have 21,538 acres of woods on the Mississippi bot-

tomland ; while at the southern extreme Union and Jackson counties have
21,351 acres of this bottomland forested. The forests of each of these

regions will be described as representing the conditions at the northern
and the southern extremes where the larger bodies of timber are found.

In the southern part of the state, the bottomlands on the Illinois

side are from three to four miles wide. (See Map III.) Depres-
sions and sloughs of old river channels are frequent throughout, but
usually the elevation near the blufls is slightly less than nearer the river.

Also the deposition near the bluffs is very fine, and clays are common
;

while much of the recent deposit along the present channel is of a sandy
nature. The soils on this river plain are usually very fertile ; and, de-
spite the unfavorable factors, much of this land now forested will be de-
veloped, as virtually all is within organized drainage districts.

At present, forests are found as rather continuous bodies averaging
less than a mile in width on the heavier soils near the blufi's ; as strips

bordering the sloughs throughout the bottomlands ; and as a belt along the
present river channel outside the levees.

Based on -1.6 acres measured in Union county, the representation of
species in per cent is as follows : soft maple, 33 ; ash, 18 ; cottonwood,
14 ; elm, 12 ; hackberry, 10 ; pin oak, 3 ; red gum, 3

;
pecan, 2 ; river birch,

2 ; willow, 1 ; with occasional swamp white, bur, and lyre-leaved oaks.

The stands inside the levees, usually restricted to poorly drained de-
pressions or heavy clay soils, are the remnants of the original bottomland
forests. In their virgin state these forests were heavy stands of ash, elm,
hackberry, soft maple, honey locust, various oaks, hickories, and gums,
but logging operations have left very little of the original forests. At
present these stands contain defective, or low-grade material, with valu-
able trees present in varying amounts. The best stands average as high
as 12,000 B. F. per acre. Logging is still conducted on a limited scale.

"Softwoods" suitable for fruit-containers' veneering grow verv rapidly
on these bottoms, and this region is the logical source of supply of this
material for the adjacent fruit and truck gardening region. Pecan, being
native to this region, is also encouraged and in places on these flood-plains
the regular bottomland association is enriched by beech.



26

A sample plot taken in a 30-year-oId stand shows the nature of the

second growth now developing.

Species



87

The timber on this plot which was merchantable for veneer logs was
harvested. Thirty-eight trees per acre were cut with a total-scale of 5,174
B. F.. Doyle rule: the stumpage value was $13.00 per M. This gives

a gross return of $62.09 per acre. After the $11.35 cost of taxes and
interest on taxes for 18 years has been deducted, this acre has returned
$50.84 or $2.83 per year when devoted to the production of veneer logs.

In addition to the 38 trees harvested for veneer, there remain 53 trees

suitable for pulp, which contain 7.3 cords having a stumpage value of

$1.25 per cord. Thus the acre has actually returned $50.84 over taxes,

and has in addition a pulp-wood stand worth $9.12 giving the total re-

turns, if cut clear, of $3.33 per acre annually from true waste land.

In the northern three counties, Whiteside, Carroll, and Jo Daviess,
the bottomlands on the Illinois side are narrower than in the south. They
average about a mile from the blufts to the river in Jo Daviess county
and widen out in Whiteside county to three miles. The bottomland soils

are usually sands and gravels, and much of the land is scarcely worth
development. Here also, the Mississippi flows through many channels,
and the wooded islands are usually less than six feet above the general
river-level. The bottomlands in Jo Daviess county are about 40 per cent
wooded, and the forests frequently extend from the river to the bluffs.

In Carroll and Whiteside counties the forests are on the islands, and
along the river as a rather continuous belt with a maximum width of
two miles, while the area near the bluffs is cleared. (See Map VI A.)

Between 1830 and 1850 these forests were heavily culled to supply
fuel and building material for settlers on the neighboring prairies, and
fuel for steamboats, river towns, and the Galena mines of Jo Daviess
county. By 1870 the Wisconsin white pine was supplying the building
material for this region. In recent years cutting has been light, reproduc-
tion by both sprouting and seedling abundant, and the stands are gen-
erally overstocked with immature trees crowding in among the occasional
old and defective trees. Much of this second growth is passing from
pole-wood to sawlog size.

The association is largely "softwoods", and a half dozen of the less

valuable species make up 95 per cent of the stand. Based upon measure-
ments totaling 6.36 acres, the representation of species by per cents is as
follows : soft maple, 39 ; elm, 22 ; willow, 14 ; river birch, 12

;
pin oak,

7 ; ash, 5.

A sample taken in a 25-year old sprout-seedling stand furnished the
following data

:

Species



28

The Mississippi bottomland between the northern and southern ex-

tremes has been developed. Forests are found rather generally on the

low islands, outside the levees, and hold a very restricted area elsewhere.

Also, river development, notably at Keokuk, has raised water levels over

considerable areas, thus drowning out the forests outside the levees. In

certain regions (Carroll and Henderson counties) sands are found on the

flood-plain. Here the forest growth is altogether different from the

usual bottomland association. It is described under the scrub oak type.

In many instances the stands on the islands are cut regularly for cord-

wood from which charcoal for gunpowder is derived. A pulp manu-
facturing company has purchased several islands and is developing plan-

tations of Cottonwood and maple.

The association is similar to that in the extreme northern area, the

soils are usually fertile, and growth rates are excellent.

The Illinois River System

The bottomlands of the Illinois River are very definitely bounded on

each side by bluffs from four to ten miles apart. The soils are light,

pure sands being common. Formerly this river valley contained many
large areas of shallow lakes and sloughs where reeds and willows pre-

vailed. Drainage projects have reclaimed most of this valley with the

exceptions of the lower twelve miles, of the region near the junction of

the Sangamon, and of the region of the Big Bend at Hennepin. These
areas have some 3,000, 4,000, and 16,000 acres respectively of bottom-

land forested, but 77.4 per cent of the entire valley is cleared. The de-

velopment of levees, in most places, has confined the river within a nar-

row channel, while the Chicago Sanitary Canal has increased the volume
of water. Consequently, those forests outside the levees or in undrained
areas have been killed by excess flooding, and throughout the lower part

of the valley forest conditions have been changed by changing water-

levels.

These forests have been culled heavily for saw-timber until there

remains but 13,113 acres, or 9.8 per cent, in good saw-timber on a total

of 123,651 acres forested. Even saplings and immature timbers are har-

vested for pulpwood and cordwood. Based upon samples aggregating

4.78 acres taken in two counties, the representation in per cents by species

is as follows : soft maple, 55 ; cottonwood, 18 ; elm, 11 ;
pin oak, 4.5

;

pecan, 3.5 ; ash, 3 ; willow, 3 ; river birch, 2 ; with infrequent bur oak,

hickory, sycamore, black walnut, and honey locust. Thus soft maple,

cottonwood, and elm make up 84 per cent of the stands ; and oak-hickory

comprise less than 5 per cent of the stands.

With the adjustment of the average water-mark to new and higher

levels, there has followed a readjustment of forest associations. The
cottonwood, maple, and elm have at first controlled many of the new
sites. Cottonwood, on light soils such as prevail over much of these

bottomlands, outstrips all competitors in growth, and is the most profitable

forest tree for such land.



as

Measurements taken on a 20-year old stand seeded on an abandoned

field show the following:

Species



30

These fign-ires serve to show that returns are dependent upon the

form of product, and the period required to produce a wood crop, as

well as on the amount of wood which can be grown annually. The an-

nual increment of the twenty-year plot, 1.195 cords per acre, gives a net

return of 0.83 per acre annually as pulpwood. The higher annual incre-

ment of the 45-year old plot, 1.291 cords per acre, gives a net return of

but $0.37 per acre annually as pulpwood ; but harvested as veneering it

gives a net return of $2.67 per acre annually.

The Rock River System

The upper stretches of the Rock River flow through a region of

numerous lakes. The soils over the entire drainage basin are light,

gravels and sands predominating. Consequently, this river is not sub-

ject to extreme flood conditions, nor does it have extensive bottoms where
water stands for several weeks. The forests in many respects resemble

those described under the mixed hardwoods of bottoms of secondary

streams. Approximately 92 per cent of the bottomland is cleared. The
remaining bottomland forests, totaling 12,700 acres, are on the islands or

as strips along the river margin. About 41 per cent of this area is in

timber of good sawlog size, chiefly elm, ash, cottonwood. soft maple,

bur oak, and basswood. Samples totaling 2.5 acres show the following

representation of species by per cents : elm, 35 ; basswood, 20 ; ash, 16

;

soft maple, 11 ; black walnut, 11 ; hackberry, 5 ; and bur oak, 2.

Very little of the Rock River region is in organized drainage dis-

tricts, and probably the present forested area will be retained. The Rock-
ford furniture factories offer a market for high-grade logs for furniture,

or low grade for crating ; but in general the bottomland forests have sup-

plied very little material.

A sample acre of virgin bottomland shows the association, sizes, and
yield of such stands.

Species



31

units large enough to crop. It is a type intermediate between the as-

sociation of the flood-plains of the large rivers and the upland types ;
and

in general more nearly conforms to the sandy loam associations of the

upland hardwood type than to any other. Such characteristically bot-

tomland species as river birch, cottonwood, sycamore, and silver maple

are associated with such typically upland species as basswood, hard maple,

tulip-poplar, and red oak ; or certain species common to both bottomland

and upland, such as elm, hackberry, and honey locust, grow best on these

well-drained bottoms. Black walnut makes its best growth throughout

the state in this type. In the Ozark region, the species commonly found

on these bottoms are beech, hard maple, red gum, tulip, shagbark and

shellbark hickories, black and white walnuts, red and white oaks, white

elm, hackberry, sycamore, honey locust, Kentucky coffee-tree, black gum,

and white and green ash. About the same association occurs where such

bottoms are wooded in the counties bordering the Wabash River, al-

though pin oak becomes a common tree here. Along streams tributary

to the Big Muddy, Kaskaskia, Saline, and Little Wabash rivers, this type

has a higher percentage of the oaks. Pin and shingle oaks are the com-

monest trees, with white, cow, bur, and red oaks, and shagbark, bitternut,

and mocker-nut hickories of frequent occurrence, and black walnut, honey

loctist, hard maple, black cherry, river birch, and cottonwood occasional.

Red gum does not occur in the Kaskaskia region ; hard maple and bass-

wood are not common in either the Big Muddy or Kaskaskia basins ; and
tulip does not occur north of a line extending from southern Randolph
county on the Mississippi side to southern Williamson and Saline coun-

ties, thence up the Wabash to Vermilion county, and inland to eastern

Hamilton and Wayne counties.

Throughout the central and northern parts of the state, the bottoms

along the secondary streams have appreciable quantities of elm. Near

the heads of streams just off the prairies, soft maple and elm often form

the entire stand ; but honey locust, box-elder, hard maple, river birch,

black and white walnuts ; bur, white, swamp white, and red oaks ; ash,

black cherry, Kentucky coft'ee-tree, and shagbark and bitternut hickories

may enter into the composition. Basswood, in some of these stands in

La Salle county, makes up a high proportion of the forest and is a com-
moner tree in the northern than in the southern part of the state. Hick-

ory forms nearly pure stands on the bottoms along Bear Creek, Hancock
county. It is doubtful if beech occurs native anywhere in the central or

northern part of the state north of Vermilion county, with the exception

of a very few trees in Lake and Ogle counties.

A representation of species by per cents based on 14.4 acres of

samples from the northern, central, and southern regions shows hard

maple, 19; ash, 18; black oak, 17; white oak, 15; elm, 10; black walnut,

5 ; hickory, 4 ; basswood, 3 ; beech, 2 ; tulip, 2 ; cherry, 1 ; and black gum,
honey locust, and Kentucky coffee-tree aggregating 2. Ash, black wal-

nut, and hard maple occur more frequently in this type than in any other.



32

In certain parts of Boone, McHenry, and Lake counties, where
stream erosion has not developed sufficiently to properly drain the recent-

ly glaciated region, a marsh or meadow type of vegetation prevails on
the bottomlands, and forests are on the elevations. In Lake and Mc-
Henry counties some of these poorly drained bottoms have the tamarack*
bog association common to Wisconsin. This is of ecological interest as
representing one phase of the initial period of forest development, just

as the few beeches in the ravines of Lake county are of interest as repre-
senting the climax type or final state of forest development for the region.
However, neither is important as a producer of wood, since there are
only a few beeches, and since the tamarack, covering but 157 acres, is

rarely more than 12" D. B. H. (Waterman, '21.)

Upland Type

(1) Post Oak

The area included in this type lies largely between southern Shelby
and southern Williamson counties in those regions drained by the Kas-
kaskia. Big Muddy, Saline, and Little Wabash rivers. Thus it extends
from within ten miles of the Mississippi on the west across the interior

of the state to within twenty miles of the Wabash on the east. It is

somewhat less than, but almost entirely within, the area covered by the

Lower and Lower Middle Illinoisan glacial invasion. (See Map II, fac-

ing p. 1.) Isolated areas of small extent are found in Knox, Massac,
Hardin, Pike, Union, and other counties.

During the ice invasion, preglacial eminences were ground down and
valleys were filled. The retreating ice left a deep deposit of unstratified

boulders, gravel, sand, silt, and clay similar to the glacial till of northern
Illinois. Following a later ice invasion (the lowan), which was limited

to the northern part of the state, a very fine soil was carried by the wind
and deposited extensively over the entire state. Later ice invasions buried

and modified this loessal deposit in the central and northern parts of the

state, but throughout the south-central region it averages from four to

ten feet in depth and forms the very fine, poorly drained soils of this post

oak region. These fine-textured, gray, surface soils are generally under-
laid by a stratum of silty clay. The resultant poor drainage renders these

soils of low agricultural value.

The general flatness of the region is broken by occasional glacial mo-
raines or preglacial eminences, rarely more than one hundred and fifty

feet above the plain level, and by the valleys of the intersecting streams.

The larger stream valleys have a wide level floor but a few feet below
the general plain-level. Gradients are low and extensive bottomlands are

common. About 12% of this region is bottomland, whereas the average
for the entire state is 8%. Where the layer of loess has been eroded, as

along the stream courses, the soil is a yellow-gray silt loam, changing to

yellow silt loam as erosion progresses deeper.



33

Originally the forests completely covered the bottomlands and about

58 per cent of the uplands. About 63 per cent of the entire region was
forested. At present 6.9 per cent of the uplands have forests, represent-

ing in area 13.4 per cent of the area originally forested.

This type extends over 8,600 square miles, and variation in the forest

is consequently to be expected. Throughout this region the upland for-

ests are of two rather distinct types, the post oak associations on the

level lands (type 1), and the upland hardwood association on the slopes

(types).

The post oak flats have a light gray soil and a very tight subsoil. On
the poorest soils post oak (Q. stcllata) may grow pure or associated with

black-jack oak {Q. marilandica) . Improved drainage conditions bring

black oak, shingle oak, and hickory associated with the post oak. In the

basins within these upland flats, where moisture collects but where the

subsoil is somewhat more pervious, pin oak often grows. The repre-

sentation of species by per cents, as given in the tabulation, page 1 1. based
on measurements of stands totaling 5.01 acres in five counties, is as fol-

lows : post oak, 73. 8 ; scrub oak, 11.9; hickory, 7.4; black oak, 5.1;

shingle oak, .9 ; and pin oak, .5. On these soils all of these trees have
a low growth-rate, and the stands usually have a great number of stunted,

bushy trees to the acre. At 100 years, post oak averages 56 feet in height

and 14 inches in diameter at the stump on these poor soils. Occasional

trees may attain a height of 65 feet and a diameter up to 30 inches, but

such trees represent defective and gnarled veterans upwards of 300 years

old. (Plate VI, Figure 1.) Ordinarily the stands appear decadent

at 100 years and do not produce trees of sawlog size. Sawlogs have
been harvested from virgin stands ; but such forests contain comparatively

few trees to the acre, such trees are over a century in age. and the prod-
uct is of low quality. This combination of the very long period required

to grow sawlogs, the low yield per acre secured, and the inferior quality

of logs, makes sawlog production on post oak sites a very unprofitable

undertaking.

Throughout this region the coal mines use large quantities of small
timber in the round for props, legs, bars, and mine ties. Seventeen
counties of this region produce 73 per cent of the coal mined in Illinois.

Eased upon an average wood consumption for mine timbers of .246 cubic
foot per ton. the mine timber consumption for this region was 14,438,753
cubic feet in 1921. A cubic foot of standing timber in the trees of the
class from which mine timbers are produced will yield .74 cubic foot of
mine timbers. Hence the consumption of 14,438,753 cubic feet at the
mine is equivalent to 19.511,830 cubic feet of standing timber.

The annual growth per acre, for 14 plots in post oak stands taken in

this region, varied between 9 and 24 cubic feet with an average of 15.8

cubic feet. The product of the entire 386,418 acres of forested upland
in the post oak region, if fully stocked, would supply about 31 per cent

of the mine requirements. The mines draw upon the Ozark bottomlands
and uplands as well as on the post oak region for material.



34

The returns from post oak land devoted to raising timber crops do
not pay the taxes when the crop is harvested as fuel wood, and barely

pay taxes when devoted to production of fence posts or mine timber. Over
30 years are required to grow trees large enough for fence posts and
from 30 to 60 for mine material. The average annual production of

15.8 cubic feet per acre of standing timber is equivalent to 11.7 cubic

feet of mine timber. The net stumpage value, based on the sale value
from which is deducted the cost of logging plus 20 per cent, is $ .0418

per cubic foot. Thus the annual returns on an acre devoted to the pro-

duction of mine timber are $ .489. The taxes on such land average $ .50

per acre per year.

If cordwood is harvested, the annual increment of 15.8 cubic feet

per acre at a net stumpage value of $ .0115 per cubic foot gives a return

of $ .18 per year. Since the taxes average $ .50 this land is costing the

owner $ .33 per acre yearly.

The possibilities of finding a more profitable use for this type of land

seem remote. It is in timber because experience has proven that it can
not be farmed at a profit, but these areas are among the least productive

for forest crops of any in the state.

With improved drainage conditions post oak improves in both form
and growth rate, and black, white, and shingle oaks and hickory are as-

sociated. Much of this type of land has been cleared. The remaining
stands show yields intermediate between the post-oak flat stands and the

upland hardwood stands of the slopes.

Samples from fully stocked stands are tabulated below.

A 40-yEAK OLD St.\nd, Pebbt County

Species



35

A 75-YEAR OLD Stand, Raxdolph County

Species



36

extent that grasses and trees could gain control the sands were anchored.

With the destruction of the vegetative cover they resumed their drifting.

Forests have a very important place in the land economics of these sandy

regions. Solely as protective cover they are justified. As will be shown
later, they may also be developed to produce a profit.

The sandy loams, being fertile are universally cleared. The dune
sands are the least fertile of any of the soils of the state. The presence

of very moderate quantities of loam or loess greatly improves the quality

of the sandy soils, while a very little organic matter in the surface soil

binds dune sand. Thus the sandy soils are very sensitive and unstable,

reacting disproportionately to very slight changes in physical composition.

It follows that improper handling of these soils may not only quickly de-

stroy their productivity but also convert them into drifting wastes which
menace adjacent areas.

In Illinois the wind is a more important agent than water in eroding,

transporting, and depositing sands. Bare sand washes readily, but such

soils are so open that in ordinary rains there is no appreciable surface

run-ofif nor consequent erosion. The ground surface in the sandy areas

is ordinarily a series of swells and depressions, the gradient of slope is

low, and gullying does not occur. Very different conditions arise when
the sands are modified by strata of clay or by loess. On these modified

soils the run-off increases, yet the high sand content insures good drainage

under ordinary conditions. In certain parts of Whiteside and Carroll

counties, however, where the slopes are considerable, the modified sands

have gullied seriously. Such ravines ordinarily develop during an excep-

tionally heavy storm, the process of formation being very rapid. A gully

several feet deep often develops in an unbroken field during a single

storm. Once started it eats back into the fields. An example of such

erosion in 15 years has cut back into a field 125 feet, gouging a ravine

100 feet wide and 70 feet deep. Areas as large as twenty acres are so

thoroughly gullied that they can not be crossed. (See PI. II for exam-
ples.) Ultimately such land reverts to forest. The areas where such
erosion occurs aggregate several thousand acres and merit detailed study

before attempting to classify the land into agricultural and absolute forest

land.

The effect of wind upon sand is evident in all these sandy regions.

Drifting sand forms low hills having a gentle slope on the windward side,

and a steep slope to the leeward. The ridges are often in parallel align-

ment and move before the wind burying everything in their progression.

Covered by vegetation these dunes become fixed. Destruction of the

cover results, under certain conditions, in the development of crater-like

depressions from which the sand is blown. In extending agriculture into

these areas, man has destroyed the cover and initiated a new advance of

some dunes previously fixed ; he has also attempted through cover crops

and forest plantations to fix sands which are in motion. The desirability

of a forest cover on blow sand is apparent, but the site is so unfavorable
that forests do not readily establish themselves. Bunch grass and prickly



37

pear gain a foothold and stabilize ihe sands. A scrubby forest may then

develop. Of the trees native to the sand areas, black oak (Q. vcliitina)

is the commonest. In the southern areas black-jack oak (0. inariland-

ica) is common, and in the northern areas bur oak (0. macrocarpa) oc-

curs frequently. Hickory (Carya cordiformis Wang.) and white oak

(Q. alba) are found throughout the sand regions, but their presence gen-

erally indicates better soil conditions.

The tabulation on page 11 shows that the representation of species

by per cents based on measurements covering 7.68 acres in five counties,

is as follows: black oak. 63.2; scrub oak, 25.6; white oak, 2.6; and hick-

ory, 8.3.

Extensive areas of sand, in the form of dunes or river and lake de-

posits, are known to exist in twenty-eight counties of the central and
northern parts of the state. The State Soil Survey has covered twenty-

six of these counties, computing the sandy areas in twenty. In the re-

maining six, these areas have been estimated from maps completed but

not yet measured. In two counties where sand deposits exist, no infor-

mation as to their area is available. The twenty-six counties show ap-

proximately 221,000 acres of dune sand and 71.000 acres of river and
lake deposit sand. The greater part of the sand deposits of the state are

included in these twenty-six counties, and the total area of the state

covered by sand is at least 310,000 acres. (See Map II, facing p. 1.)

The delineation of those areas in the sandy region which were origin-

ally forested is less reliable than for non-sandy soils. The organic car-

bon contents in the upland prairie loams are decidedly greater than in

the upland timber soils, and in the field the transition from prairie to

timber soil is readily apparent in the lighter color of the latter. The
organic carbon content of sands is not markedly greater for prairie sand
than for timbered sand, and in neither case is sufficient to give a decided
color to the soil. About 75 per cent of the sand soils are classified by
the Soil Survey as terrace soils. Such soils in this study are considered
upland soils, and are generally regarded as originally non-forested. At
present considerable areas of such land are forested with even-aged stands

of an age roughly corresponding to the period which has elapsed since the

region was settled.

The total area included in the scrub oak type is 2,145.120 acres, of
which 20.94 per cent is estimated to have been forested originally, and
of which 4.26 per cent is at present forested. Within the general areas
covered by this 2,145,120 acres are 310,000 acres of pure sand and the

balance of the area has soil of a generally sandy nature. The sandy
loams have been cleared and the 91.011 acres of the scrub oak type now
wooded are largely on poor sand land.

While forests are justified here solely on their ability to check the
drift of sands upon neighboring fertile soils, yet the stands native to the
site are stunted and scrubby. Black oak commonly attains a height of
50 feet with a clear bole of 10 feet and with a bushy crown. The prod-
ucts from such forests have little value other than for fuel and post ma-



38

terial, the yields being very low. The annual growth on 24 plots of this

type, varied between 11 and 47 cubic feet, with an average of 28.6 cubic

feet per acre.

The tabulation below shows data on fully stocked stands.

A 25-YEAB OLD Stand, Mason County

Species



39

sand drift, the additional cost being met from returns from the more
productive parts of the farm. It is very doubtful if ideal treatment and
protection would greatly improve the quality of the product or raise the

yields of the stands native to this region. Fire and grazing protection

would make conditions favorable for a gradual increase in the organic

matter in the soils with a consequent improvement in physical and chemi-

cal composition, yet this improvement measured in increased forest re-

turns would probably be very slow.

In attempts to anchor the sands and turn them to profitable produc-

tiveness, experiments have been made by land owners in introducing and
planting species not native to these sites. Studies of these plantations

and data collected in other states of growth upon similar sites, indicate

that pine plantations may afford the best economic use to which the sands

can be put.

Black locust has been planted more extensively than any other spe-

cies. It is easily established, binds the soil with its excellent root system,

and produces relatively good yields of high-grade post material. In ad-

dition to these excellent qualities, it has the ability to build up the nitro-

gen content of the soil. It is an ideal tree for the sand regions, but since

the appearance of the locust borer in destructive numbers in 1856, only

occasional plantations have been successful. The greatest insect injury

occurs when the trees are from 3 to 8 inches in diameter. When locust

is planted in pure stands, the borers generally destroy the plantation,

whereas insect damage seems to be less severe when locust is in mixture
with other species. On dune sand in Mason county, a thrifty plantation

of oO-year-old trees had an average diameter of 13'4 inches inside the

bark on the stump, and a height of 66 feet. From single trees were cut

40 split and 6 round posts. Such a plantation yields in 50 years 1,575

posts with a market value of 40 cents each, a gross return of $630.00
per acre.

The following costs are charged against the operation

:

Taxes annually $ .50 per acre 4% for 50 years $ 76.33

Cost of establishing plantation $15.00 compounded 50 years 106.60

Cost of cutting and marketing $ .10 per post 157.50

Total $340.43

Net income at end of 50 years, $630.00 minus $340.43, equals $289.57.

Discounted as a recurring crop or rental with interest at 4%, this gives

the above land a value of $47.42 when devoted to locust, or an annual
return at 4%, on this value, of $1.90 per acre above taxes, planting, and
harvesting costs. This indicates that under favorable conditions locust

plantations can be profitable.

This is one of the two types of the state where black walnut and
catalpa plantations are failures. Neither should be planted on any other

than fertile well-drained soils. Cottonwood (Populns deltoides) on these



40

soils shows a very variable growth-rate. On a 20-year old plantation

in the crater of a blowout the effect of shading was very pronounced.

In the three outside rows, the trees averaged 10 inches D. B. H. and 70

feet in height. On a plot taken at least 5 rows (35') inside the margin

and representing average interior conditions, the tree average 5 inches

D. B. H. and 50 feet in height, with the largest tree 9 inches D. B. H.
and 53 feet in height. The plot showed an average growth per acre per

year of 69.1 cubic feet as compared with 28.6 cubic feet for oak grown
on similar sites. The product of the cottonwood plantation was suitable

for fuel, posts, and pulp-wood. Cottonwood planted as a shelter-belt on
these sands is a success ; as a forest crop in plantations its value is in

doubt. Thus far, experiments with the other broad-leaved species have

shown that they will not produce a profitable crop on sands.

The prospect of growing certain pines on these soils at a profit is

better. In general, conifers require about 1/10 the amount of water

needed by broad-leaved species, are less exacting as to soil requirements,

produce more trees to the acre, and have a faster rate of growth and a

higher quality of product. Red, white, jack, and western yellow pines

within their respective regions of growth produce valuable wood crops

on sand. Plantations of white pine, already established on such soils in

Illinois, are generally too immature to show the possibilities of wood pro-

duction. However, they do demonstrate that white pine plantations can

be established, and that the growth rates during the juvenile period is

rapid. The occasional open-grown white pines planted in this region

indicate that the excellent growth-rate is carried through to maturity. At
40 years such individual pine trees on sand near Amboy, Lee county,

produced 38 cubic feet as compared with 4.8 cubic feet produced by black

oak at the same age on sand.

Studies were made in two plantations growing on dune sand and
representing 20- and 50-year age classes. The twenty year stand has

an average D. B. H. of 4.1 inches and an average height of 27 feet. The
largest trees are 7 inches D. B. H. and have a height of 30 feet. The
mean annual growth for the twenty-year period is 95 cubic feet per acre.

The trees were vigorous; the plantation well managed. (Plate I, Figures
1 and 2.)

The fifty-year plantation has an average D. B. H. of 10 inches and
an average height of 55 feet. The largest trees have a D. B. H. of 15

inches and a height of 60 feet. The mean annual growth for the fifty-

year period is 91 cubic feet per acre. This stand averages 27,364 B. F.

per acre for the 50-year period, which is almost exactly the yield given

for similar soils in Massachusetts (Hawley and Hawes '13). An in-

crease of 318 per cent in the yields for white pine over the native hard-
wood stands, and an increase in the quality of product—from cordwood
to excellent lumber—is indicated as possible for those in position to make
the initial investment of establishing the plantation and carrying the costs



41

from 30 to 50 years. Approximate costs and returns per acre are as

follows

:

*3-year old transplants, 1210 per acre f5.50
Planting cost 7.50

$13.00

Compounded 50 yrs. at 4% this equals $92,387

Taxes 50 cents per acre per annum compounded 50 years equals. . 76.333

Total cost at 50 years $168.72

• Can not be bought in Illinois at a reasonable price.

The yield of 27,264 B. F. per acre at $20.00 per M. on the stump
equals $545.

Net income at 50 years equals $545.00 minus $168.72, or $376.28.

Discounted as a recurring crop or rental at 4 per cent this gives the

land a value of $61.62 per acre. The annual return at 4 per cent on this

value is $2.46 per acre. Thus after paying all expenses such as taxes

and planting co>ts, such a plantation returns annually $2.46 per acre per

year from a timber crop on land which, devoted to natural growth of

hardwoods does not return the taxes.

In conclusion :—These sandy soils require a vegetative cover ; native

forests are uneconomical ; introduced species such as certain pines can

probably be grown at a profit ; and forestry in these regions is of an in-

tensive nature, involving planting.

(3) Upland Hardzi-oods

In the third upland type, the upland hardwoods, are included 60 per

cent of all the forests of the state, and 79 per cent of all upland forests.

It is that upland forest which grows on soils between the extremes of

open sand and tight loams over clays. The representation by species in

this type is very variable. The relative stability of .soil moisture appears

to exert a controlling influence over the composition of the forest. In

general, the fewest of species are found on those soils approaching the

heavy post oak soils, and the greatest variety, on deep well-drained sandy
loams. The gradation from forests made up almost entirely of oak and
hickory to those showing considerable variety is not usually distinct. The
following generalization for the upland hardwood type may be advanced

:

Forests in the southern part of the state show a greater variety than those

in the northern ; those on non-glaciated regions a greater variety than
those on the glaciated ; those on moraines a greater variety than those on
the inter-morainal areas ; those in the broken eroded regions a greater var-

iety than those in the more level ; those on sandy loams a greater variety

than those on clayey loams ; and even those in virgin all-aged forests a
greater variety than those in even-aged stands.

The annual growth on 35 fully stocked plots of this type varied

between 22 and 58 cubic feet per acre, with an average of 36.4 cubic feet

as compared with the average of 15.8 cubic feet for the post oak type,

and 28.6 cubic feet for the scrub oak type.



42

Certain extensive regions of the state manifest a tendency toward
either the oak-hickory extreme or the rich mixture, and the general up-
land hardwood type will be described under two subtypes, (a) upland
mixed hardwoods, less than 90 per cent oak-hickory, and (b) the oak-
hickory, 90 per cent or more oak-hickory. From seventy samples taken
in this type in twenty-eight counties, the oaks and hickories make up 90
per cent of the stand in thirty-six.

Subtype (a) Upland Mixed Hardzvoods

The regions where this subtype commonly prevails are the entire non-
glaciated part of southern Illinois, the deeply eroded section along the

bluffs of the Mississippi River as far north as the Wisconsin line, the

eroded bluff's of the Illinois River, and the modified uplands of the Wa-
bash as far north as Vermilion county. This mixed hardwood associa-

tion occurs locally in many counties of the state on moraines, well-drained
slopes, and similar sites favorable to variety.

In the Ozark upland region this subtype extends completely across
the state ; but elsewhere the general areas where it is found are restricted

to a strip, bounded on the river side by a very definite hne where the
uplands break to the river plain by precipitous slopes or rock ledges, often
with a relief of several hundred feet. The interior boundary of this strip

is not clearly demarked, as mixed hardwoods here merge with the oak-
hickory extreme ; but, in general, the mixed hardwood subtype is associ-

ated with deposits of deep and medium loess, and varies in width from
2 to 12 miles. The depth of the soil varies greatly in this bluff area, as
it is a region where wind-carried soils built up deep deposits and where
erosion has been very active. Rock outcrops are frequent along the
outer rim of the bluff's and where the lesser streams have cut through
the heavy soil mantle ; but generally soils are deep. In texture these
loessal soils are very fine-grained and may approach sands or clays, but
they are characteristically porous, friable, and fertile. They readily ab-
sorb moisture, and slopes which on heavier soils will gully disastrously,

are safely cleared in this bluff region.

The Ozark uplands extend from the Mississippi to the Ohio, and
from the Big Muddy and Saline rivers to the Cache as an upthrust with
an axis running east and west. The highest points, which are among the
highest of the state, are near each end and close to the rivers. This
results in a pronounced relief along the eastern and western parts, which
together with the series of cliffs marking old faults along the southern
part, make this a region of rugged topography, characterized by more or
less gentle northern and more or less abrupt southern slopes. The older
residual soils were buried under a loessal deposit of varying depth. Sub-
sequent erosion and weathering have altered these deposits, but they
form the main soils of the region. The soils of the interior section are
shallower and less porous than the loessal deposits of the bluffs, hence
unprotected slopes erode seriously. (Plate II.)



43

Originally about 95 per cent of the bluff and Ozark upland region

was forested. The fertile soils have put a premium on arable land, and
customarily the flat hill-tops and the narrow creek-bottoms are cleared

;

yet the region is so dissected that 23.6 per cent of its area is yet forested,

as contrasted with an average of 6.8 per cent forested for the total of

the uplands of the state. The actual reduction in area from the original

forests is estimated at 76.2 per cent and the reduction in quantity of tim-

ber at 95.5 per cent.

In the Ozark region the bluffs rise abruptly several hundred feet

above the Mississippi flood-plain to the general level of the uplands.

These uplands are so dissected for the first three to nine miles from the

bluff's that the continuity of the forests is broken only by clearings on the

narrow bottoms, or infrequently on the yet narrower ridge tops. (See

Map III N.) This region is the only place in Illinois where relatively

continuous upland forests in a single region aggregate 100,000 acres ; and
this forest is a belt averaging three and one-half miles in width by fifty

in length, rather than a compact area.

Rock outcrops are frequent where the uplands break to the Missis-

sippi flood-plain, but in general loessal deposits are heavy and soils are

deep. This is a limestone region, and caverns and subterranean streams

usual to such formations exist. Springs of considerable volume are

numerous at the base of the bluffs, but within the region itself springs

are rare.

The dry slopes rising abruptly from the Mississippi flood-plain are

forested save where sheer cliff's break their continuity. These forests

consist of short, sturdy trees, mostly oak. The upper part of this west-

ern slope has black oaks and hickory on the more favorable sites, with
post oak or red cedar on the thin soils. It is on this dry upper part of

the westernmost slope in Union county that the bulk of the shortleaf pine
grows, a few stragglers reaching the second western slope.

These poor forests mark only the exposed margin, and within this

region of innumerable ravines and spurs a rich variety of trees may be

found. In general the ridge tops and upper parts of the south and west
slopes have few species other than black oak, white oak, and hickories.

The north and east slopes, the lower south and lower west slopes, and
the bottoms of the innumerable narrow draws, in addition to black and
white oak and hickories, have red oak, tulip, beech, hard maple, black

walnut, ash, cucumber-tree- butternut, basswood, elm, Kentucky coffee-

tree, black and red gum, and mulberry. Customarily the oaks predomi-
nate, yet it is not unusual to find nearly pure stands of beech in the draws
and on lower slopes.

The difficulty of logging in this extremely broken region delayed the

harvesting of the virgin stands until the more accessible areas to the east

were cut out. Early operations were light and the large trees of the

few more valuable species were harvested and marketed in the log. This

was followed by sawmills operating chiefly in the larger oak. In recent

years this region has been drawn upon heavily for sawlogs, ties, and



4-1

mine timbers, and virtually every species is utilized down to very low

diameters. As a consequence the forests in this region are over-cut.

growth does not equal the cut, and the amount of growing timber per

acre steadily diminishes. An average acre based upon a tally of all trees

6 inches D. B. H. and up, on a strip (56 feet wide totaling nearly 2li miles

in length and equivalent to 181.66 acres, gives the average number of

trees per acre as 37 and the average contents as 886.7;! cubic feet. The
same acre fully stocked with trees of the sizes present should have 108

trees and total 2,586.95 cubic feet of timber. Alexander. Union, and
Jackson counties contain over 100,000 acres of such forest, averaging

about one-third fully stocked (34.275 per cent). This means a loss in

yields of at least 2,400,000 cubic feet of wood annually, and is equivalent

to more than 200,000 first-class ties—a total annual revenue of $200,-

000.00.

The average acre has 21 trees with a D. B. H. 10 inches or better;

i. e. trees suitable for ties or even sawlogs, and it has 16 trees in the
6-7-8-9 inch classes. Since cutting has been comparatively light in this

latter group it represents more nearly the actual association of species

in the forests of the future. A comparison of the data in table p. 45
showing per cents of species represented in the smaller and larger diam-
eter classes respectively, indicates that the future stand will have a slight-

ly lower per cent of black oak, tulip, black gum. maple, and red gum, and
a very much lower per cent of beech ; also it will have a higher per cent

of white oak, elm, and ash, and a very much higher per cent of hickory.



45



46

A few areas yet show virgin stands. The tabulation from the sample

plot on page 47 shows the association, sizes, and yields. In general, the

forests are more or less culled. Down to the present, cuttings have been

in the larger diameter classes alone, and the same area could be profitably

logged at intervals of about twenty years. The recent cuttings have been

heavy in the smaller diameter classes with a consequent increase in the

interval before another cutting will be profitable.

Forest fires do more damage in this region than anywhere else in

the state. An examination in 33 sections in this region in 1931 disclosed

that 12 had been partially or completely burned over in the past three

years. An average interval of eight years between fires is insufficient to

carry the immature trees to a fire resistant stage. The reproduction is

naturally excellent in this region but fires must be controlled before well-

stocked stands can be realized. Growth rates vary, but generally aver-

age slightly lower than for the same species on comparable soils elsewhere

in the state. (See page 47.)

East of this belt of heavily wooded hills, the Ozark upthrust contin-

ues as a divide between Saline River on the north and the Cache on the

south. (See Map III C.) The average width is scarcely twenty miles,

the average elevation of the divide less than 400 feet above the

rivers
;
yet this region presents a very broken surface. Generally the

divides and spurs show Ijroad tops, breaking abruptly to the narrow val-

leys. Clififs are common along lines of faulting and along the gullies

cut through the the limestone by streams.

The ridge tops and rolling uplands are cultivated ; the steep slopes

and narrow gulches, wooded. It is a region of relatively shallow soils.

Splendid forests originally grew in the protected coves and pockets where
soil collected, and this region yet produces some high-grade veneer logs.

The arable lands have been cleared, the forests remaining are on thin

soils and precipitous slopes. Occasional patches of sawlog timber may
be found in ravines and on lower slopes ; but generally the stands are of

a pole-wood or sapling nature and are cut closely for mine timbers. At
the eastern end (Hardin county) cutting has been less severe than in the

counties to the west. Cedar grows in nearly pure stands on some of

the bluffs, and a rich mixture of beech, cucumber, hard maple, tulip, ash,

and basswood may be found in the draws, but generally the rather poor
stands of this interior region are black and white oaks and hickory.

The soil common to these uplands—yellow silt loam—is more sus-

ceptible to erosion than any other common soil type. Much of the upland
in this region has been unwisely cleared as the numerous gullied and
abandoned fields testify. (See Plate II.)



I

47

"3



48

Sample of Virgin Stand on



49

tinuation of the extremely dissected belt described as the western part of

the Ozark uplands. Deep loess deposits extend inland to an average of

nine miles from the bluffs. Sink-holes pit this region to a greater degree

than elsewhere in the state. For the first mile or two from the blufifs,

the forests are continuous ; farther inland the ridge tops and stream bot-

toms are cleared, and the forests are on the slopes.

These stands consist of an uneven-aged mixture from which the

larger trees have been removed. The transition of species is in about

the following order : cucumber-tree and sweet gum do not grow in

these uplands north of the Big Muddy ; Mary's River is the upper limit

for beech and tulip while black gum goes to the Kaskaskia. Two varia-

tions from the mixed hardwood association usual to this region merit

mention. Piney Creek, a tributary of Mary's River, has cut a ravine

about seventy feet in depth ; and here, on the shallow soils of the slopes,

some thirty mature shortleaf pines represent the most northern out-

post of this species. (See Plate VIII.) On Rock Castle Creek, some
five miles north of Piney Creek, there were formerly specimens of this

tree. The shortleaf pine (Pinus cchinafa) is the yellow pine common
to the clay soils of the Gulf States but it extends up into southern Mis-

souri and southern Illinois. Its occurrence in Union and Randolph coun-

ties marks the extreme northern limit of the species. The Piney Creek
ravine is also probably the northern limit in the western part of the state

for tulip and beech. The second variation is found in the many sink-

holes which occur in the uplands near the blufifs. These are generally

circular depressions, having a diameter from thirty up to several hundred
feet, and a depth often of forty feet. Water may collect and remain

in these basins, but ordinarily it is drained ofif through underground
streams. Such formations are especially numerous in Monroe county

but occur in Randolph, Union, and Hardin counties. The soils, washed
in from near-by fields, are fertile. The slopes are often steep and wooded.
Tree growth is exceptionally rapid. Black and white oaks commonly
predominate, but sycamore, elm, river birch, cherry, and cottonwood are

frequent trees in this association.

North of these Ozark uplands, of the upland belt extending along

the Wabash system to Vermilion county, and of the belt extending up
the Mississippi to the Kaskaskia, the mixed hardwood forests, in which

oak and hickory make up less than 90 per cent of the stand, are in the

belt of bluffs bordering the Mississippi and Illinois rivers ; on the unglaci-

ated areas of Calhoun and Jo Daviess counties ; on many of the moraines

throughout the glaciated area ; and occasionally on the inter-morainal

areas where well-drained fertile slopes are forested.

Such southern species as red and black gums, tulip, cucumber-tree,

and beech* drop out, while big-toothed aspen is added in the northern

part. White and bur oaks, basswood, black walnut, ash, elm, cherry, and
hackberry have a higher percentage in these mixed stands in the north

than in the south, while hickory and black oak have a lower percentage

* SmaH colonies of beech are reported in Lake and Ogle counties.



50

in the north. A comparison as to the number of trees per acre shows that
the northern forests have about twice as many as the southern, and that

they are often even-aged, whereas in the southern region they are rarely

so. In the even-aged stands the oldest have been growing about 90 years,
the majority, between 60 and 90 years ; the diameters are mostly under
18 inclies ; 65 per cent of the trees have a D. B. H. of 10 inches or better

;

and the average acre has about 80 trees. The number of trees per acre
and the representation of species in the stands by per cents for both the
northern and the southern part of the state is shown in tabulation on
page 54.

The belt of heavily wooded bluffs extending from Alexander county
north, terminates at about the northern boundary of Monroe county.
In this distance of more than one hundred miles, there is scarcely a break
in the forests as viewed from the Mississippi bottoms. North of Mon-
roe county, even this westernmost slope is freely cleared, and the forests
are disconnected strips along the slopes, rather than a continuous belt.

Only in the rougher sections of Jersey and Calhoun, and to a lesser de-
gree in Jo Daviess counties, are there comparatively continuous upland
forests.

In Jersey and Calhoun counties, the uplands bordering the Missis-

sippi and Illinois rivers are heavily wooded. (See Map V, C.)
Calhoun is a narrow unglaciated headland between the Illinois and the
Mississippi rivers and is but five miles wide in its narrower parts. The
divide, often 300 feet above the rivers, is buried under a shallow loessal

deposit and the slopes break more abruptly on the eastern than on the

western side. Air drainage and soil conditions combine to make this

upland especially adapted to apple production, and the less precipitous

uplands along the crest are cleared, together with much of the western
slope, but the abrupt eastern slopes are wooded. Black oak is the domi-
nant tree, and much white oak, hard maple, elm, hackberry, black walnut,
and basswood occur. The stands approach the even-aged type, and are
of seedling rather than sprout origin. The same rugged topography and
forest conditions exist in the western six miles of the uplands of Jersey
county, although the stands here have been more heavily culled for sawlog
and tie material. The area forested in these rough uplands, where forests

are comparatively continuous, totals approximately 50,000 acres.

The topography of Jo Daviess county, with the exception of a small
strip along the eastern border which has been modified by glaciation, is

that of an old eroded upland through which the southwestward flowing
streams have cut deep valleys. In the north, the slopes lead back to the
broad uplands and culminate in occasional conical mounds. The highest
of these, Charles Mound, with an altitude of 1,241 feet above sea-level,

is the highest point in the state. In the central and the southern sections
the slopes rise rather moderately from the narrow stream-valleys until

the upper slopes are reached. Here the slope is steep or precipitous up
to the narrow flat-topped ridge. In the north-central part streams have
cut through the rock, forming canyons or gorges. The most notable,



I

51

Apple Kiver Canyon, is a gorge 160 feet deep with frequent cliffs, minia-

ture park-like bottoms, and forested slopes.

Despite the fact that there may be a diiTerence in elevation of 400

feet between the valley floor and the neighboring ridge-top, and that

cleared slopes up to twenty and even twenty-five degrees are common,

gully erosion is not noticeable. These steep slopes when not wooded are

pastured and protected by a sod. The soils are well drained, and in

periods of drought vegetation on the thin soil suffers. Pepoon cites an

instance of extreme drought in 1898 when even old trees died (Pepoon,

H. S., 1919).

The present upland forests totaling about 50,000 acres, occur usually

as belts along the steep upper slopes. (See Map VI N.) The
lower slopes and often the ridge tops are cleared. The uplands border-

ing the Mississippi River are usually wooded in the southern half of the

county but cleared in the northern half ; and the forested region extends

into the unglaciated interior region twenty-five miles from the Mississippi

plain. The stands are well stocked with young as well as with merchant-

able timber and growth rates are excellent. They are dominantly white

and black oak, containing some basswood, hickory, black walnut, elm,

ash, cherry, maple, and occasionally a big-toothed aspen or Kentucky
coiifee-tree. Hard maple is found in almost pure stands in the northern

part of the county, and white pine occurs occasionally on the rocky slopes

of the gorges.

Between Calhoun and Jo Daviess counties the topography of the

uplands along the bluiifs becomes modified, the slopes are less precipitous,

and relief less pronounced. These uplands are customarily cleared, but

Mercer and Rock Island counties show somewhat more forested area on
them. In parts of Henderson. Carroll, and Whiteside counties sand has

blown inland ; and such areas, when wooded, have the oak forests de-

scribed under the scrub oak type.



52

"3



I

53

The status of a sample from a T5-year old stand of mixed hardwood
in Hancock county is here shown.

Species



54

Representation of Species by Per Cents and Number of Trees per Acre
IN Subtype (a.) Upland Mixed Hardwoods (North and South)

AND Subtype (b) Oak-Hickory

Species

White oak
*Bur oak -. .

.

*Chinquapin oak
*Cow oak
*Red oak
*BIack oak
*Shingle oak
*Swa,mp Spanish oak.
Hickory
Elm
Ash
Hard maple
Beech
Black gum
Tulip
Black walnut
Red gum
Basswood
Cherry
Hackberry
Honey locust
Kentucky coffee-tree.

Mulberry
Butternut
Buckeye
Big-toothed aspen. .

.

Sycamore
Black locust

Totals.

Oak-hickory
90 per cent and

over

Trees
per acre

2.4

41.0

.1

10.1

1.1

.4

.1

Per
cent

47.93

.76

2.21

37.23

.11

.05

9.18

1.03

.34

.11

110.2

Per cent of
oak-hickory
equals 97.42

Based on 32.4

acres meas-
ured in 20
counties.

Oak-hickory
Less than 90 per cent

T^orth
Trees Per

per acre cent

25.1

.4

.1

2.1

14.6

5.2

6.7

2.4

7.2

3.6

1.5

.7

.2

.3

.1

.1

34.55

.50

.15

.04

2.86

20.22

7.24

9.18

3.31

9.99

2.14

4.91

2.09

.96

.26

.39

.16

.17

.08

.65

.08

Per cent of
oak-hickory
equals 65.56.

Based on 63.2

acres meas-
ured in 15
counties.

South
Trees Per

per acre cent

6.1

.7

.6

1.0

4.4

1.1

1.2

.2

.4

.02

35.30

16.12

1.98

1.73

2.54

11.56

22.89

3.27

.65

1.15

.02

.01

.06

.01

.08

.04

0.4

.06

Per cent of
oak-hickory
equals 73.85.

Based on 188.4

acres meas-
ured in 3

counties.

* In part of the field-notes all white, bur, chinquapin, and cow oaks were
tabulated as white, and all red, black, shingle, and swamp Spanish as black, con-
sequently the figures listed for white and for black oak in the above table contain
al.so these other oaks.

Subtype (b) Oak-Hickory

The total area of upland forests of the mixed hardwood type where
oak-hickory makes up less than 90 per cent of the stand is estimated at



55

594.3T9 acres. Throughout the northern and the central parts of the

state are broad regions where oak-hickory makes up 90 per cent or more
of the stand, and such an association occurs locally even in the Ozark
uplands, loessal bluffs, and post oak region. The total forested area of

this oak-hickory extreme is estimated as 1,209,734 acres.

Throughout the post oak region the oak-hickory subtype is found

on the slopes where the flat upland breaks to the stream bottom. The
soils are usually yellow-gray silt loams. White oak is the commonest
tree, shingle and black oaks, hickory with occasional ash, basswood,

cherry, hard maple, elm, and black walnut form the stand.

North of this post oak region, the oak-hickory extreme prevails

throughout the interior of the state. It is a region of undulating upland

prairies and verj' deep glacial deposits. These prairies are naturally

poorly drained so that, over the centuries when the prairie sod held the

site, decay of grass roots has been but partial, and the rich black soils of

the prairies have been built up. Below the dark prairie soils, yellow-

gray and yellow silt loams are generally found. Where these soils are

exposed on the slopes along the streams forests occupied the site ; and on
the steeper slopes of the numerous moraines, forests were found. Prai-

ries, however, prevailed over 70 per cent of this region. About 82 per

cent of the area originally forested is now cleared, and the forests remain-

ing are small wood-lots retained on the rougher slopes. However, this is

a region of relatively gentle slopes ; and much land now timbered can be

converted to arable land or to permanent pasture.

Soil classification, made by the University of Illinois Agricultural

Experiment Station in twenty-two counties of this region, shows that 51

per cent of all timbered soils not bottomland are yellow-gray silt loams,

and 33 per cent are yellow silt loams. These are comparatively heavy

soils, and the yellow silt loams are those common to the less gentle slopes

;

consequently, erosion is a possibility where this soil type is cleared. Gul-

ly erosion was noted in Bureau. Fulton, Knox. \\'arren. Brown, McDon-
ough. and Madison counties and was especially severe in Pike county.

These oak-hickory stands are usually even-aged, and occur as narrow
strips along the slopes and as isolated wood-lots. Shingle oak may oc-

cur, but the commonest tree in the central region is black oak ; in the

northern, white oak. Oak and hickory often make up the entire stand.

In the northern quarter of the state bur oak is a common tree in the as-

sociation, and often forms the entire stand in wood-lots of counties along

the northern border of the state. These bur oak stands are usually poor-

ly stocked with short-boled, wide-crowned, and "limby" trees. Elsewhere

the oak-hickory wood-lots usually show good stocking with trees up to

small sawlog size and under 80 years of age. The usual drain on these

wood-lots has been for posts and fuel. For these purposes inferior and
smaller trees are customarily cut, leaving the better trees. These latter

are, in most wood-lots, from 60 to 80 years old and entering into the saw-
log class. The practice of grazing these wood-lots is almost universal.

Statements from 430 woodland owners show that 92 per cent graze wood-



56

lands. Under this practice a sod is formed which effectively keeps out

the reproduction necessary to replace the trees harvested. The presence

of a sod. the lack of young trees to continue the forest, and the presence

of timber of sawlog size tempt the owner to clear his land immediately
rather than by the equally certain and slower process of grazing the

woodlands.
The number of trees per acre and the representation of species in the

stands by per cents for this oak-hickory subtype is shown in the tabula-

tion on page oi.

Samples from fully stocked stands are shown (I, II, III, IV, V) as

follows.
I. A 62-YEAR OLD St.\nd, Whiteside County

Species

No. of trees per acre.

Av. D. B. H., inches.

Av. height, feet. . . .

Cu. ft. per acre. . .

.

B. F. per acre

White
oak

132
8.0

70
1,440

2,134

Black
oak

49
11.8

70

1,029

1,957

Hickory
Black
cherry

6

6.7

65
46
41

6

13.0

70
152
346

2,668

4,478

Av. ann.
growth

II. An 85-year old Stand. Mercer County

Species
White



57

V. A 90-YEAR OLD Stand, St. Clair County

Species
White
oak

Black
oak

Hickory Av. ann.
growth

No. of trees per acre
Av. D. B. H.. inches.
Av. height, feet

Cu. ft. per acre
B. F. per acre

74
12.1

70
1,558

3,352

62
14.1

75
2,183

6,232

2

8.0

60
16 3,757

9,584

41.7

106



§2

58

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o;S = = 5

CQ ca cq pq

e s '^ t!

S = 5 >=

§•000
II II g II II



59

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[^
00 <M_ •*_ 00

r o CO »-H t-^

OO CC OO t^ « CD t-O CM m -**< lO i-H CD

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60



01

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co_ -^ oi_ ^ I

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62



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r.3

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rH iH 1-1 CO iH

00^iHe00SCD^t-O<
c>como^**'^t*-i-(in<

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(>4

WASTE LAND.

Dune sand, Mason county. Illinois has 300,000 acres of sand.

THE CROP.

Twenty-year old white pine on dune sand.



WASTE LAND.

Eroded upland, Carroll county.

^^'"



66

THE CROP

A 70-year old stand of white oak on broken upland, Randolph county.

>."¥-^«^

^~.:^t,lV.^x.

A wood-lot on broktii upland in Union county yielding liigli-gradc- vmeer oak.



67

PLATE IV

GRAZING DESTROYS WOOD-LOTS.

Wood-lot in Lee county showing contrast between grazed
and ungrazed areas.



G8

GRAZING DESTROYS WOOD-LOTS.

Wasteful transition of wood-lot to pasture, Grundy,
county.



69

PLATE VI

Virgin upland post-oak forest. Perry county. The scrubby small trees

usually live about a century, the occasional large veterans growing to

three centuries. Yields are very low.

Virgin bottomland stand. Wabash county. Large trees

Yields are very high.



OUTPOSTS.

Virg-in bottomland cypress-tupelo gum stand. Massac county.

Tamarack bog. Lake county. (Photo by Waterman)



71

PLATE VIII

OUTPOSTS.

Northernmost group of short-leaf pine. Randolph county.



OUTPOSTS.

Southernmost stand of white pine. Ogle county.



73

Part II. Growth and Yield Studies

The objects of the survey were twofold. The one inchided locating,

mapping, and clas-sifying the forests; the other was a study of the pro-

ductiveness of different soils in terms of forest crops.

Growth studies were made upon individual trees, and upon plots.

The studies on individual trees were made with the object of determining
the average rate of growth in height, diameter, and cubic contents for a
given species upon a given soil type. When a comparison is made of all

species growing upon a given soil type these average growth rates show
which are the fastest growing trees for that soil type. See Tables 1 and
2, pp. 78-80. When a comparison is made of the rates of growth of a

single species on different types of soil, there is shown the soil type best

fitted for that species. See Table 3, pp. 81-89. The studies on plots

were made to determine the number of trees and volumes per acre pro-

ducd on a fully stocked stand for virgin plots and for even-aged plots

at ten year intervals.

(1) Studies of Growth Rates of Individual Trees

The chief factors which influence the rate of growth of a tree are

(1) atmospheric, including temperature, light, humidity, and precipita-

tion as the most important; (2) soil, including water contents, gas con-

tents, soil composition, soil temperature, exposure, slope, character of

the surface and altitude; (3) biotic, or plants and animals which react

upon forest vegetation. It is impossible to secure exact duplication of

these dozen or more factors even in trees growing upon the same acre,

hence there results a variation in the rate of growth of individual trees

quite independent of the variation due to qualities inherent in different

species. In the effort to standardize as far as possible those factors which
influence the rate of growth of a given species, all measurements were
made on plantation or forest-grown trees ; the soil type as identified by
the State Soil Survey was used as a basis for soil standardization ; the

measurements were worked up for trees growing in even-aged stands

and all-aged stands separately ; and as many felled trees as possible were
measured. Average, rather than abnormally rapid or slow growing trees,

were measured. No division is made between data collected in different

parts of the state, other than those derived from even or uneven aged
stands and from the soil type.

Under the soil survey made by the University of Illinois Agricul-

tural Experiment Station, the soils have been classified as unglaciated

or as belonging to a definite period of glaciation ; and as bottomland and
swamp, or upland timber and prairie ; and some 150 different types have
been identified in the 93 counties surveyed. A list of those counties for

which information is available is given on page 83. This information
gives, for any definite area, the soil types represented and a description

of the physical and chemical characters for each type.

The studies of growth rates are based upon this system of soil classi-

fication and are carried on separately for bottomland and upland soils



74

as classified by the Soil Survey, but, with a single exception, separate

studies were not made for growth rates when the same soil type was
found on unglaciated and glaciated areas, or on areas of different periods

of glaciation. The growth rates for certain acidulous upland soils of the

lower Illinoisan area of glaciation were found to be so markedly lower

than for similar soil types elsewhere that a special grouping of studies on

these soils is made under the title Illinoisan.

The studies are incomplete in that the investigation of the growth
rates for a given species was not made on each soil type upon which the

species grows, nor were sufficient data collected to determine with finality

the varying degrees to which growth is influenced by soil and site condi-

tions, but the studies do show the general growth relations for the various

commoner species of the state on the common soil types.

A diameter of 10 inches inside the bark on the stump is adopted as

the minimum diameter at which trees will be harvested for sawlogs or for

railroad ties. Such a tree will produce but one first-class tie, and in saw-
log operations a 12" stump D. I. B. more nearly represents the average

cutting limit. Comparison of the periods required to attain this mer-
chantable size (Table 1, pp. 78-79) brings out the facts that (1) on the

same soil type, trees grown in even-aged stands require a shorter period

than those grown in all-aged stands, that (2) there may be a very great

difference in this period for diflferent species on the same soil type, and
that (3) the difference in this period for the same species growing on
different soil types is not so marked.

(1) That trees grown in even-aged stands require a shorter period

than those grown in all-aged stands to attain such a relatively low diam-

eter as 10 inches is shown by the following tabulation.

Species



all-aged stands does not necessarily mean that the yields per acre are

greater for the even-aged than for the all-aged, because during this initial

period of suppression the area in all-aged forest is producing two crops,

whereas the even-aged stand has full possession of the soil from the be-

ginning. The importance of this study is rather in the fact that there is

established a standard period required to produce merchantable sawlog
or tie material when trees are grown under the more uniform conditions,

such as prevail in fully stocked, even-aged stands.

(2) That there may be a very great difference in the interval re-

quired to attain merchantable size for different species on the same soil

type is shown by the following tabulation.

Soil type

Yellow fine sandy silt loam
Yellow-gray silt loam
Yellow silt loam
Sand
Bottomland gray fine sandy loam.
Bottomland deep gray silt loam. . .

Bottomland drab clay

Interval required to produce 10'



70

{'i) That the difference in the period required to attain a merchant-

able size for the same species growing on different soil types is not so

marked is shown by the following tabulation.

Species

Ash

Cottonwood.

.

Elm

Hickory

Hard maple .

.

Soft maple. .

.

Pin oak

Red oak

Black oak ...

Post oak

White oak. .

.

Tulip poplar.

Black walnut

Soil type

Bottomland deep gray silt loam
Bottomland drab clay
Upland yellow fine sandy silt loam
Upland yellow-gray silt loam
Bottomland gray fine sandy loam
Bottomland river wash
Upland brown prairie loam
Upland yellow fine sandy silt loam
Bottomland drab clay
Bottomland gray fine sandy loam
Bottomland deep gray silt loam
Upland yellow silt loam
Upland yellow fine sandy silt loam
Upland yellow-gray silt loam
Upland yellow fine sandy silt loam
Bottomland yellow-gray silt loam
Bottomland gray fine sandy loam
Bottomland drab clay
Bottomland drab clay
Bottomland deep gray silt loam
Upland yellow fine sandy silt loam.
Upland yellow silt loam
Upland yellow-gray silt loam
Upland red-brown fine sandy silt loam
Upland yellow-gray sandy loam
Upland yellow-gray silt loam
Upland red-brown fine sandy silt loam
Upland sand
Upland yellow silt loam
Upland ininoisan yellow-gray silt loam....
Upland light gray silt loam on tight clay.

Upland yellow-gray silt loam
Bottomland yellow-gray silt loam on clay..

Upland yellow-gray sandy loam
Upland yellow silt loam
Upland yellow-gray silt loam
Upland yellow fine sandy silt loam
Upland yellow silt loam
Upland yellow fine sandy silt loam
Prairie brown silt loam
Prairie black clay loam

Intervals required
to produce 10-

inch trees

Even-aged i All-aged

G2

61
101
85
72
86

93
76
93

72

57

66

74
62

96
97
42
37
36

For the species studied, the difference in time required to attain a

merchantable size is greatest for the elm and this difference is but -10

years. In the case of the white and the black oaks, where the studies

have been the more complete, there is surprisingly little difference due to



soil in the interval rerjuired to attain a merch?,ntab!e diameter. Black oak
in even-aged stands on upland yellow-gray sandy loam attained such a
diameter in 44 years, on upland yellow-gray silt loam in 53 years, on
dune sand in 53 years, on upland yellow silt loam in 60 years and on the

heavy yellow-gray silt loams of the Illinoisan in G3 years. The influence

of soil is more accurately reflected in the height growth than in diameter
growth. Thus 55-year old black oak on upland yellow-gray sandy loam
has a height of 61 feet, on upland yellow-gray silt loam of 55 feet, on
upland yellow silt loam of 55 feet, on dune sand of 50 feet, and on the

Illinoisan yellow-gray silt loam of but 40 feet. Since height and diameter
determine the cubic contents, the ratings of the productiveness of soils

for any given species is best expressed by cubic contents. Such a rating

is shown in Table 3. pp. 72-80, in which E signifies even-aged stand, and
A equals ali-aged stand.



78

CO p

Years

reqiur-

ed

to

attain

a

minimum

saw-

log

or

tie

size

of

10-in.

stump

D.

i.

b.

E

A



79

Years

requir-

ed

to

attain

a

minimum

saw-

log

or

tie

size

of

10-in.

stump

D.

i.

b.

E

A



80

^^



81



82

m

is

§1

a m

M
O W

i"
ccpq

H |H

§^
Sri

o

<) 02

« o

.2 »

H

H

Q

S

S

cc

I rH 05 t- t-



S3

lO * -* Tj^

fa Ufa

*.



84



85



86

a, I

tn



87

iH tC



88



8!)

o .s o ^ ^ 3; « 00

^ a—
= » =5

^ •=)

a

I

"

& s &
o IS oSOS few

o taS o
^E & 't. D
'3

I

'3
I

1< (1h

m J J

fe ffl PQ



90

Summarizing the studies of average growth, and grouping some-
what similar soil types together, the following lists show the rates on dif-

ferent soils for the trees studied.

Upland Sandy Loams

Species Cubic contents at 60 years

Even-aged AU-aged

Black walnut 51.5

Tulip-poplar 26.0

Black oak 27.1

White oak 21.1 13.1

Red oak 10. ti

Basswood 11.2

Elm 10.3

Ash S.8

Hard maple 6.4

Hickory 6.1

Beech 2.5

Upland Yellow and Yellow-Gray Silt Loams

Species Cubic contents at 60 years

Even-aged All-aged

White pine 63.6

Tulip-poplar 30.3

Red oak 17.8 15.5

Black oak 16.0 13.6

Shingle oak 11.5

Ash 15.9 5.5

Hickory 5.0

Hard maple 11.6 2.3

White oak 10.7 2.7

Upland Sand

Species Cubic contents at 60 years

Even-aged All-aged

White pine 18.0

Black oak 13.6

Helavy Loams—Illinoisan

Species Cubic contents at 60 years

Even-aged All-aged

Black oak 8.1

Post oak 5.1 5.9



91

Bottomland Light Soils

Species Cuhic contents at iO years

Even-aged All-aged

Cottonwood 96.7

Sycamore 62.9

Soft maple 53.0

Elm 2.0

Bottomland Heavy Soils

Species Cuiic contents at J/O years

Even-aged All-aged

Water locust 28.5

Honey locust 25.8

Soft maple 23.4

Pin oak 23.6 18.0

Ash 7.3

Schneck's oak 6.2

Swamp Spanish oak... 4.9 4.3

Hackberry 3.3

Elm 3.3

Tupelo gum 2.6

Hickory 1.5

The minimum-sized tree suitable for ties or sawlogs averages about

10 inches stump D. I. B. and 60 feet in height. Such a tree contains ap-

proximately 13 cubic feet of wood in the peeled stem. Using this figure

as a standard, it is seen that, in the upland sandy loams, black walnut,

tulip-poplar, and black and white oaks are the only species which average

a sawlog tree at 60 years age. However, it is probable that red oak, bass-

wood, elm, and ash will make such trees if grown in even-aged stands.

On the upland yellow and yellow-gray silt loams the species which
average a tree of minimum sawlog size or more at 60 years are white

pine, tulip-poplar, red oak, black oak, shingle oak, and ash ; while hickory,

hard maple, and white oak grow very slowly.

White pine and black oak were the only two species studied on the

sand and each produces a merchantable tree in 60 years. On the heavy
loams of the post oak region neither post oak nor black oak made saw-
logs at 60 years.

The bottomland soils produce several species of very rapid growth-
rates and 40 years is taken as the period of comparison. On the light

soils of the bottomland, sycamore, cottonwood, and soft maple have a

very high growth-rate, while elm fails to make trees of average sawlog
size in the 40-year period.

On the heavy bottomland soils water locust, honey locust, soft maple,

and pin oak produce merchantable trees at 40 years, while ash, Schneck's



98

oak, swamp Spanish oak, hackberry, elm, tupelo gum, and hickory require
longer periods.

Soil Rkports

Reports or



93

The even-aged plots were divided between the three upland types

—

post oak, scrub oak, and upland mixed hardwoods—and the one bottom-

land type : and the data were worked up to show, for each decade between

the second and tenth, the total number of trees for a fully stocked acre,

the average height of the dominant trees, the D. B. H. of the average tree,

the basal area per acre, the total cubic feet contents exclusive of branch-

wood, and the average annual growth per acre. (Tables 4-8, pp. 95-9T.)

A comparison of growth on these even-aged upland stands in Illi-

nois and the even-aged second growth hardwoods in Connecticut and
Massachusetts indicates that the Illinois post oak type has about the same
number of trees per acre at a given decade as the poorest upland type in

Connecticut—Quality III Oak (Frothingham '12), but that the diameter

growth averages less on the post oak, and that the height growth averages

decidedly lower. This Quality III Oak type in Connecticut represents

thin-soiled upper slopes. It is very poor land, yet it produces better trees

than the post oak type in Illinois.

A study of the scrub oak stands on the sands in Illinois shows that

these sands produce trees of an average diameter and height-growth com-
parable to that of the better sites in Connecticut—between Quality I and
Quality II Oak sites—but that the fully stocked Illinois stands do not have
nearly as many trees per acre as the eastern forests.

A study of the upland mixed hardwoods type of Illinois shows that

the diameter growth for such fully stocked even-aged stands averages

about the same as the better sites in Connecticut (Quality I Oak), that

the height growth of dominant trees averages about the same as that of

the medium sites in Connecticut (Quality II Oak), and that the number
of trees per acre for a given decade is again very low in Illinois. At 70
years these fully stocked stands in Illinois have but 70 per cent as many
trees as such stands on the Quality I Oak site in Connecticut, and but 45
per cent as many trees as fully stocked even-aged stands of 70 years on
Quality I sites in Massachusetts. (Spaeth '20.)

The annual rainfall of Connecticut is about 47 inches, and of Illinois

about 37 inches. The annual evaporation for Connecticut amounts to

about 39 inches, for Illinois to approximately 41 inches. The lesser

amount of rain and the greater evaporation in Illinois is thus reflected in

the decrease in the number of trees supported on an acre. This indicates

that, in the management of the hardwood forests on the uplands of Illi-

nois, the conservation of moisture is one of the important factors.

Post Oak Type

The post oak plots selected were on the heavy acidulous soils com-
mon to the level uplands of south-central Illinois described in Part I under
the post oak type, p. 32. Post oak constitutes 74 per cent of the trees on
the plots measured, scrub oak 12, with various black oaks and hickories

totaling 14 per cent. An examination of the tables 4-6, pp. 95, 96, shows
that these post-oak stands have a greater number of trees per acre, a
smaller total basal area per acre and consequently a smaller average



94

D. B. H., that the height of the dominant trees is decidedly less than for

the other two upland types, and that the yields for corresponding decades
are the lowest. Reference to the tabulation of the D. B. H. of the aver-

age tree brings out the point that these stands do not enter the sawlog
class—minimum D. B. H. 10 inches—within the first hundred years. The
product is suitable for posts, mine timbers, and cordwood at about 60
years.

Scrub Oak Type

The scrub oak plots selected were on the sands in central and north-
ern Illinois. The representation of species on the plots measured, shows
black oak 62 per cent, scrub oak 39, hickory 8, and white oak 1 per cent.

A marked variation in the individual plots as to growth indicates that
probably in Illinois the sandy sites within this type should be classified;

but insufficient data compelled a general grouping of all plots on sand.
The tabulation, on page 96, brings out the fact that the diameter growth
on sand in these plots averages even greater than for corresponding dec-

ades on the more fertile soils of the upland hardwoods type. This fact

was also borne out in the individual tree study (see table on pp. 81-89).
The height growth is less at similar periods for trees of the scrub oak
type than for those of the upland hardwood type and the number of trees

per acre beyond the 60-year period on sand is the least for the upland
types. These stands enter the sawlog class at about 65 years. The yields

given are for a fully stocked acre on which all trees are sound and free

from crooks. The stands of the scrub oak type are very defective and
the trees both limby and crooked, hence the use of the factor 4.4 into the
cubic yield, giving a result only for sound straight trees, gives too high
yields for characteristic scrub oak stands.

Upland Hardivood Type

The plots on the upland hardwood type were taken on those upland
soils between sands and loams over clay. The commonest soil types

are the yellow and yellow-gray silt loams, and in general the upland soils

are heavier than upland soils in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The
point brought out in the individual tree study that growth on the upland

sandy loams is better than on the heavier loams is also apparent in the.

plots, as those selected on sandy loams have an average yield above the

average for the general upland type. The representation of species by
per cents on these plots is as follows : white oaks, 52, black oaks, 26,

hickory, 11, elm, 5, hard maple and cherry totaling 4, the remaining 2 per

cent being made up of nine other species. Since white oak is one of our
slowest growing hardwoods and constitutes more than half of the stands

on these plots, it is very evident that in managed forests of this kind yields

can be increased by the substitution of such trees as tulip, red oak, and
ash. Reference to the tabulation of the D. B. H. of the average tree

(Table 6, p. 96) shows that these stands enter the sawlog class at about

63 years.



95

Bottomland Type

The bottomland forests of Illinois are not usually even-aged. On
the 19 even-aged plots studied there was such a marked variation in yields

for a given decade, due to the composition of the stands, that the data
were worked up separately to show yields for stands composed dom-
inantly of fast-growing species, and yields for stands corhposed dom-
inantly of slow-growing species. (Tables 7, 8, pp. 96, 97.) On the 8

plots where such rapidly growing trees as cottonwood, sycamore, soft

maple and sweet gum dominated, the average tree entered the sawlog class

at 40 years and the acre produced 4,180 cubic feet of wood, exclusive of

branch wood.
On the 11 plots where such slow-growing species as oak, elm,

ash, and hickory dominated, the average tree entered the sawlog class

at 63 years and the acre produced 2,757 cubic feet of wood. Thus the

fast-growing species produce approximately 18,000 B. F. per acre in 40
years as compared to 12,000 B. F. per acre in 63 years for the slow grow-
ing species. The influence of soils is somewhat apparent in the per cents

of occurrence of the fast- as compared to the slow-growing species. Thus
the cottonwood and soft maple were abundant on the sandy loams, while

the oaks, hickories, and ash were abundant on the heavier soils. Honey
locust, sycamore, and red gum, trees of rapid growth, seemed to occur
with equal frequency on the heavier and lighter soils.

Yield Tables for Even-aged Stands in Illinois

(1) Upland Types

Tabte 4.

—

Post Oak Type. Based on 14 Plots



96

Table 5.

—

Scbdb Oak Type. Based on 23 Plots



Table 8.

—

Slow-gbowi.ng Species. Oak, Elm. Ash, Hickory
Based on 11 Plots



98

Paxt III. Proposed State Forest Policy

A proposed forest policy for Illinois has been outlined in two previ-

ous bulletins (Hall and Ingall '11, and Chapman and Miller '24). Three

measures were recommended by Hall and Ingall

:

(1) The adoption of an adequate state fire protection system, pro-

viding for forest fire wardens in those counties where this seems desirable.

(2) The inauguration of an educational campaign with the object

of spreading scientific and practical forest management.

(3) Further investigation of the problems involved in developing

and extending Illinois woodlands.
The measures recommended by Chapman and Miller are:

(1) Formulation and dissemination of information on wood-lot

management.

(3) The teaching of farm-wood-lot management at the State Uni-

versity and the establishment of experimental areas.

(3) Establishment of an adequate system of fire prevention.

(4) Purchase of a considerable area in southwestern Illinois for

State forests.

The information contained in this bulletin on forested areas and aver-

age rates of growth, and in the bulletin by Chapman and Miller '24, on
the total amount of wood cut from the forests of Illinois, enables us to

measure the forces of production and of destruction, to measure also,

to a limited extent, the benefits possible from reasonable wood-lot man-
agement, and to distinguish the areas where state aid is necessary to fire

protection.

The total timbered area of Illinois is 3,021,650 acres, as shown in

table, pp. 58-63. The average annual volume produced per acre for

each of the general forest types is shown in Tables 4-8, pp. 95-97. By
multiplying the average annual growth per acre for a given type by the

forested acreage of this type we may find the total yield for that type if

all the timbered area were fully stocked, and a summation of these total

yields for all types gives the total yields for the state which will be se-

cured if the forests are kept fully stocked. This total is 124,333,235

cubic feet.

The total production of wood from the forests of Illinois, as given

by Chapman and Miller ('24), is 115,651,960 cubic feet. This total is

for the cubic contents of that part of the tree which goes into the product.

In order that a proper comparison might be made between the amounts

which the fully stocked forests can produce continuously, and the amounts

which are now being harvested, this drain of 115,651,960 cubic feet was
converted to the corresponding amount in the total peeled stems, and after

slightly raising the forested acreage and consequently the production as

shown in the above bulletin, the total cut from the forests of Illinois be-

comes 135,014,335 cubic feet. About 59 per cent of this cut is utilized

as cordwood. In the computations it is assumed that but one product

—

either cordwood, sawlogs, ties, mine props, piling, or veneer logs—is made



99

from a given tree, that is, for example, that approximately 65 per cent

of the cubic contents of the tree is made into sawlogs, and that no use is

made of the remaining 35 per cent. It is thus apparent that the total

cut of 135,014,335 cubic feet will be too high by the amount utilized in

making smaller products, such as mine timbers, posts, and cordwood,
from this otherwise unutilized portion. But since no allowance is made
for drain on the forests through decay, insects, and damage by fire and
storm this figure is probably not greatly in error.

It is evident that the drain is in excess of the growth by at least

10.681,100 cubic feet per annum, but the actual excess of drain over
growth is very much greater, since the forests are not fully stocked. The
degree of stocking ordinarily runs from 34 per cent, as shown from ex-

tensive studies on the Ozark region (p. 45), to 80 per cent. The average
product per annum for the state is probably more nearly 80,800.000 cubic

feet than the 124,333,235 cubic feet possible for fully stocked forests.

W'e are probably cutting fully 54,200,000 cubic feet annually in excess
of the growth of 80,800,000 cubic feet, and continued overcutting at this

rate would strip the state of forests in 31 years.

Until 1910 a larger acreage of improved land was being added an-
nually to the farms of Illinois than there was of improved land reverting

to waste ; but since 1910 more improved land by 250,928 acres has re-

verted to waste than has been improved—most convincing evidence that

development of unimproved lands to crops lands in Illinois has been car-

ried too far. The 1920 census shows that Illinois now has 1,577,663
acres of waste land on farms. The labor and materials which are con-
sumed in clearing, developing, and cropping such land are of greater value
than the crops produced ; and when ultimately the land is abandoned, it

often lies idle for decades before it is restocked by a forest inferior to

that originally cleared. It is probable that fully 2,700,000 acres of the
present forested area of Illinois, if the drain continues unchecked, will

revert to waste land unproductive of even the taxes.

The stumpage value of the timber cut to make the total of 135,014,335
cubic feet above arrived at, amounts to $4,958,331. Thus by cutting 65
per cent more than grows, an average return of $1.64 per acre is secured,

from which must be paid taxes and land rental. This low return must
further decline as the growing stock is reduced through excess cutting,

until the wood-lots become waste land and the returns are zero. The
alternatives are waste land or wood land.

By keeping the wood-lots fully stocked with the species normally
represented the average growth of 41.1 cubic feet per acre annually will

very nearly meet the drain of 44.7 cubic feet. By removing the slow
growing and inferior trees as thinnings are required, the annual yield may
be increased. The extremes in growth rates of different species of trees

are greatest for the bottomland types, and consequently managed bottom-
land forests offer an encouraging field for increase in production, yet a

greater growth per acre can be secured by encouraging the faster grow-
ing species on the uplands also. The yield tables 7, 8, pp. 96, 97, show



100

that the faster growing species in unmanaged bottomland stands average
twice the vokime growth of the slower growing trees. The protection of

forests from fire and grazing, and the regulation, through thinnings, of the

kinds of trees which will be left, are simple forms of good management
which will nearly double the annual production of cubic feet of wood. A
better utilization of this product, which will enlarge the proportion of high
grade material to the total production, will increase the returns. Much of

the 59 per cent of the wood production of Illinois which is now used as

cordwood is suitable for uses having general stumpage values from four

to sixteen times that of cordwood.
That part of the 1,577,663 acres of waste land which is not reverting

to productive forest land should be replanted. To the end that the land

owners may have access to a supply of suitable planting stock at a reason-

able price, the state should establish a forest tree nursery.

Any plan which contemplates the establishment of state-owned for-

ests should give weight not only to the forested area of southwestern
Illinois, but also to the practicability of establishing pine forests on the

unforested sands of central and northern Illinois. As computed on page
37, there are at least 310,000 acres of sand, of which more than 200,000
acres is unforested. These sandy areas are often in large units, a single

county containing 75,000 acres.

In outlining state aid in fire control the principle should be that such
aid should be given to those regions where the forests are continuous and
cover relatively large areas, but that in those regions where the wood-lots
are relatively small and isolated the owners can cope with fires. The
maps III to VI cover those areas in Illinois where upland forests are the

most contonuous. Continuous bodies of forest cover relatively large areas
in the following regions :

(a) As shown on Map III such a forest extends along the bluffs

in the western part from central Alexander county to central Monroe
county and contains approximately 202,000 acres of forest.

(b) As shown by Map III a heavily forested area occurs at the
eastern extreme of the Ozark uplands in southwestern Gallatin, southeast-

ern Saline, eastern Pope and Hardin counties. This upland area con-
tains approximately 86,000 acres forested.

(c) Possibly the region embraced in Calhoun and western Jersey
counties has woodlands of such a nature as to require organized fire pro-
tection (see Map V). There are approximately 50,000 acres of such
upland forest in this region. Elsewhere in the state the forests are less

continuous and protection can be given by the land-owner.



101

CONCLUSION

Until 75 years ago poor transportation facilities resulted in low wood-
land values in the heavily wooded areas, while in the prairie region these

values were as much as seven times those of prairie land. During the

past 75 years the development in transportation has enabled Illinois and

the nation at large to enjoy the products from the virgin forests of the

Lake States, of the South, and of the West.

With the exhausting of the virgin forests the nation will be con-

fronted with much the same problem as confronted the pioneer prairie

farmer. The cut-over timber-lands will be called upon to meet the wood
requirements of the nation. Those annual requirements are now nearly

four times the average annual growth of all timber-land for the nation at

large, and ten times the average annual growth for Illinois.

For the public this condition predicates a decided increase in the cost

of wood products, for the wood-using manufacturers a dislocation of in-

dustry and the use of substitutes where substitutes are economically pos-

sible, but for the wood-lot owner correspondingly greater returns from

the productive wood-lot.

The process of forest destruction is far advanced in Illinois. First

growth or virgin timber has virtually disappeared, and the present drain

on the cut-over forests and second-growth stands, unchecked, will result in

an early disappearance of all forests in Illinois.

There was an increase in unforested waste land of a quarter of

a million acres in the ten years from 1910 to 1920. and Illinois now has

a total of 1,577,663 acres in this class. The 3,021,650 acres now forested

are on lands unsuited to ordinary farming and if cleared will generally

revert to waste land.

There is an urgent need for the educating of both the wood-lot owner
and the public on the measures required to protect the present forests, to

balance growth and cut and bring them to their fullest possible produc-

tion, and to reforest as much of the 1,577,663 acres now in waste land

as is economically justifiable, so that when the supplies of virgin timber

fail elsewhere, the farm wood-lots of the state shall provide for the needs

of the farm, and unproductive waste land be turned to profitable use.



103

LITERATURE CITED

Chapman, Herman H., and Miller, Robert B.

1924r. Second report on a forest survey of Illinois. The Eco-
nomics of forestry in the state. Bui. 111. Nat. Hist. Surv., 15:

Art. III. Urbana, III.

Deam, Chas.

1921. Trees of Indiana. Department of Conservation, State of

Indiana publication. No. 13.

Frothingham, Earl H.

1912. Second growth hardwoods in Connecticut. U. S. Dept.
Agr., Forest Service Bulletin 96.

Hall, R. Cliflford, and Ingall, O. D.

1911. Forest conditions in Illinois. Bui. 111. State Lab. Nat.

Hist.. 9 : Art. IV.

Hawley, Ralph C, and Hawes, Austin F.

1921. Forestry in New England, p. 473. John Wiley & Sons,

New York.

Pepoon, H. S.

1919. The forest lands of Jo Daviess county, Trans. 111. Acad.
Sci., 12: 183-202.

Ridgway, Robert

1872. Notes on the vegetation of the lower Wabash Valley.

Amer. Nat., 6 : 658-665, 724-732.

1882. Notes on the native trees of the lower Wabash and White
River valleys in Illinois and Indiana. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.
1882, 5 : 59, 74.

Sargent, Charles Sprague

1922. Manual of the trees of North America. Houghton, Mifflin

& Co., New York.

Spaeth, J. Nelson

1920. Growth study and normal yield tables for second growth
hardwood stands in central New England. Harvard Forest

Bulletin No. 2. Petersham, Mass.

Waterman, Warren G.

1921. Preliminary report on the bogs of northern Illinois. Trans.

111. Acad. Sci., 14: 79-84.

1923. Bogs of northern IHinois. II. Idem, 16 : 214-225.



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Map No. IV
FOREST MAP OF SOUTH-CENTRAL ILLINOIS. EASI

Upland forest in snull wood-lots

I^B Upland t'ornt

Wm^U Bottomland forest

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Map Nf). VI
FOREST MAP OF NORTHWESTF.RN ILLINOIS

A Missis*i]ipi bottomland

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\j Forested region along Rock River

^^1 U,.lan4 forest

Scale 1

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