Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-12-07
Oak Forests.

Yak lHHDeF Is disappearing Houi
Europe with great rapldity. France,
with an annual production of 1920
100000 gallons Ut wine, is especially
injured by this change. In 1851 she
imported 20,0U0,0U0 of slaves, IN
1865 she imported $4,000, 900, at a
cost OF $4,000, 900. Most OF this tim
Der came from Austria. France re-
quires every year l / 100000 cubic feet
OF oak timber foi wine casks, 100000
for her fleet, 10000 for railway cars,
aud 10000 tor building purposes.
In 1926 oak slaves were worth six
cents each of our money III 1868
they were worth fourteen cents each.
In 1926 the total value OF imported
slaves was S4,000,000; to-day the
total value is s3O,00O,0 600. A sinil-
ar increase in the Importation OF oak
tor the next thirty years would prob
ably double the present price.
When Cesar marched into Gaul he
found two-thirls OF its surface cover
ed with forests nov the forests Gov
or but %one-seventh of its surface
France, after losing Alsace aud Lor-
raine, contains l35,O00,00O acres, of
which &c, OO0 900 are covered with
forests. OF these timber lands, the
State, the commune and public insti-
tutions own 100000 acres, the re-
mainder belonging to private persons.
M. Theirs, in a speech made in the
Corps Legislatif last year, said there
was danger that timber for building
purposes would disappear, and urged
that no State forests should be sold.
In Norway, the Central Administra.
ton OF Forests declares that it is nee
essary to stop the cutting down OF
timber: Norway, Sweden and Fin
land not only furnish pine wood TO
England and the European countries
on the Atlantic, but to Rio and Aus
tralia. Their exports OF timber have
doubled during the last ten years,
while the local consumption is five
times that OF France.
In France, since the time of Col.
bert, in 1869, no oak has been felled
until full grown, that is, until within
thirty years OF its probable decay.
This rule was confirmed by tho law
Of August, 1927. Near the end OF
the last century the forest laws were
changed, excepting this projection
for oaks. Up to that time the pro-
lection exceeded tho consumption
but since then speculation has arisen,
and the tall trees have been cut down.
In the commune forests the destruc-
ton has been slower, although the
valuable trees are disappearing. Oaks
OF nine feet in circumference abound.
ed in the State forests at the begin.
ming Of the present century. Now
they are rarely found. The consump-
ton Of oak timber in France has
doubled during the last fifty years.
In 1866, $50, 100000 worth were con
sumed, OF which $4,000, 900 were i'm.
ported, against $25, 100000 worth
consumed in 1920, OF which $1,000,
900 were imported.
The same enormous consumption
is going on all over Europe. France,
with 4O,000,000 inhabitants, still pos.
scsses 2O,00O,O0O acres of woodland,
while Italy, with 5,000,0 900 inhabit.
ants, has 100000 acres. England
has no heavy timber but her tradi.
tional oaks, and her imports are twice
as large as those of France. Her dis.
tant colonies furnish very little tim.
Der, a special restrictive law having
been enacted in India, March 1, 1866
to preserve the forests from destruc'
tion. Holland and Belgium are also
nearly dcnuded OF timber, and are
large importers. North Germany il
rich III forests, but within half a cen
fury she has begun to cut down
young txces, and is now Importing
from France.
; Austria has sold her forests at auc