Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-06-19

Pine Lumbsring-A lesson from History.

,hc nrst settlement of the country 1t
has beentmost highly priced for lum-
Der. ard itnow forms part Of almost
every sood ds Cling im0c land The
Hindowtfeames, and s6sNes, the bli nds
and doors univasally huidc Of pine,
it often forms the MP boards and
shingles the AA3ors and parts Of the
frame work. This tree was Widely
,;iatributed over the older States in the
North, and occupied5the valleys Of Tiv-
ers and plains, where 1t WAS moSt ac-
cessible to the carly settlers. The
pine loved smooth easily worked land,
and the settlers did tho same. The
pioneer, in making his clearing for
farm, had no thought for postesity
He wanted to plant corn and cultivate
grasses, and the trees were his natural
enemies. They had no value except
Tor fuel. as they have none now, in
many of the new settlements remote
from nayigable streams,
As the population increased, and cit
les began TO be built, it would pay to
cut and saw the pine, and send 1t to
market. Tho settler wanted to rc-
aHze immediately upon his purchase,
and all the pine lumber was marketed
that he could cut and saw. Thns all
New England, except Maine, has been
stripped of its pine, and even IN the
Pi cTree State, the pines arc begin
ming to fail, and spruce, fir, and hem
lock, are taking theirpace. tits said,
wo know nothow truly, that pine from
Michigan now sometimes finds mar
ket in Maine.
1t is only about eighty years since
Vermont was settled. and it is not fit
ty years since the lumber trade was
the principal business at Burlington,
on Lake Champlan. The region ar
ound for twenty miles, back to the
foot ofthe Green Mountain range, was
heavily timbered with white pine.
The men are now living who rcmcm-
Der the grand slaughter upon these
monarchs of the forest, and the ship
ping of lumber, through the lake, and
the st. Lawrencs, to Europe. Trees
from four to six feet in diameter, and
from 140 70 $50 feet in height, were
not uncommon. DR. Wheelock of
Dartmouth College, is said to have
measured Il tree that stood upon the
college grounds, and found it 27O feet
in length. But now pine a hundred
feot high is a rare object. In a recent
trip from Burlington eastward to the
mountains, we did not see an acre OF
primitive pine forest, and but few Of
the second growth. Other varlaties
of wood are much more common than
the pine. Remains Of the old forest
are occasionally seen, in enormous
stumps not yet rotted in the ground,
orin stump fences, that have stood for
- generation. The export OF pine lum-
bcr has long since ceased, and the re-
gion is now dependent upon Canada
and the West for its supplies. Hardly
an Intelligent farmer can be found that
does not mourn over the indiscrimin.
ate havoc of the first growth Of pines,
Il would take three hundred years to
restore them.
lis there not lesson in this fact for
the lumbermen of Michigan and the
North. western States? They own the
land. and wish to make the most Of it
for themselves, and their children
The clearing up of their pine lands is
likely to 80 forward more rapidly than
in Vermont, for the tide Of emigration
moves stronger westward, and there is
an immense population along the sea-
board, that must be more and more
dependent upon these new States for
their pine lumber At present they
have but asmall profit upon their lum-
bor because of its distance from mar
ket. The market is all the time com
ing nearer to them, and Judging from
the past the cost Of transporter will
be Diminishing, VIII it not be better
for their estates, richer inhcrltcncc
for their children TO leave at least half
of these forests untouched by the AK?
Suppose an acre Of primitive pine for
est nov standing near the shore of
Lake Champlain? With pine lumber
worth from $50 to $40 thousand, and
a home market, every one acquainted
with tbs business, can readily see the
valuc IL such a piece of property,
Many of the trees would be worth
500 and upwards, and an acre would
purchase II respectable farm.
1t is Worthwhile for the new settlers
upon these pine lands to look forward
fifty years, and think Of their heirs, if
not Of their own old age. Then an
acre Of cleared meadow may be worth ,
$50 for cultivation, and an acre Of pri-I
mitivo pine $1,000 for lumber OF
course, the most Of the forests must
perish TO make room for farms and
the onward march of civilization. We
only ask that the wants Of postelity
may be considered, and that the un-
profitable experiment Of New-E England
be not repeaTed. IAN. AGRICUGruRIsr.