The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-11-02

We have seen the bays and rivers depleted
of food fish and the efforts to replenish them by
artificial propagation. Forests have fallen I'M
der the lumberman and woodman's axes, OF
persisted in fires kindled wantonly or through
negligence, and now the science of forestry
claims attention. That streams may be re-
stocked with fish, and that forests may be
successfully planted, there is ample testimony;
but in either case the process is necessarily a
slow one. IAN ounce of prevention is worth
pound of cure" is an old saying and a true
one. 1t should be needed by all who are so for
tunate as to possess timber lands or wood lots.
We believe there is no better investment to-day
IN Maine than the purchase of a good wood lot,
even at present prices, provided it has proper
attention. The Lewiston Journal furnishes the
following illustration
An old and wel-to-dO Lewiston man. in speak
ing of investments, said: '.I've never put my
money into anything that paid me any better
than wood lot of fourteen acres that | own.
near Sabatis. bought it twenty-five years ago.
for $40. I've cut all my fuel from it, paying
500 per cord for cutting and hauling. each
winter. The cord wood. alone. has been fair
rate of interest. Aside from that the trees have
increased rapidly. A good Judge estimates that
the lot will cut 400 cords I could readily sell
the stumpage for 81 per cord-that's $500. Isn't
that pretty good earning for $40 in twenty
five years? A line tree which measured SIX
inches in diameter, a foot above the ground.
when bought the lot now measures eighteen
inches. The other trees show a corresponding
gain. Where l have cut, have cut clean, and
a stout third growth has come up. Places that
L cut ten years ago, will now cut ten cords to
the acre. | calculate if sell that the interest
of the money will always keep me in fuel. Any
good. thrifty wood lot on strong land. will pay
10 per cent. or more by its natural increase, to
an INVESTOR.
A wood lot, kept free from underbrush. dead
wood. and judiciously thnned, will furnish
timber of greater value than mere fuel. The
demand for woods for mechanical purposes is
great and constantly growing. The aggregate
value of forest products of Michigan. up to the
present year. has been eight hundred million
dollars. and for the single year 1879 they
amounted to sixty million. The manuf acture
of the different articles requiring wood for their
production supports fifty thousand people in
that State. Although Maine has largely lost
hei prestige as the Pine Tree State. statistics of
her wood manufactures must show this branch
of industry to be an important one and demon
strate the necessity for maintaining the supply.
Mr. Fuller of the Rockand conference.-the.
having taken unto himself better half is re-
ceving congratulations from his brethren of
the press: and the Journal Joins in wishing the
newly welded pair the fullest measure Of
happiness and prosperity.
An old man in Wyoming Territory recently
fell and broke his thigh while trying to pull off
his boot.
Moral: Don't pull off your boots: die with
them on.
1t takes a one dollar greenback to buy one
yellow back pumpkin in Bangor