Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-01-19
DIR FORESTS.


by the census officers of 1880 it appears thai,
at the present rate of destruction, the entire
growth of white pine in the United Suites
will be exhausted about the year 1890 or
1891 The total supply is eighty billion
feet, which is being reduced annually by ten
billion feet converted into lumber In this
State the census gave u5 1855, 600, 600 feet of
spruce, OF which the large proportion Of
two hundred million feet wGs cut during
The census year. Our white pine forests
are already practically exhausted and arc
represented only by u comparatively small
amount of second growth-thc cut Of which
for the census year was only six and one
half million feet The denudation of the for
csts is in process in nearly all parts of the
county. Ard young trees are not growing
up to supply the place of those iillcd-at
least to any app,cciablc eXtent-for the
great undergraduates with almost Grimm
al greed and rccklessness chop down
everything in their path, telling trees
OF as small II diameter as eight inches
for the sawmlls and demo!ishing the sap
lings in order to save a picayune fraction of
expense in hauling their logs, OF course this
is palpably purblind and wastcfu policy !;
but the lumbcrmcu do no, care tinger-snap.
Their sole object is to make the largest pos
siblc profit at present, regardless of the fu-
turc They lease the timber lands and conf
pete fierccly, one with ano,her,in turning out
the largest possible quantity Of lumber, aud
aud in this process wantonly destroy what
should be the forests OF the coming years.
This wholesale ruin Of our forests is to be
deprecated for two reasons, climatic and
commercial The intimate connection be-
tween woods and rainfall has lecn definitely
established, and district donudcd Of its for
csis is thereby condemned TO stcriliiy. 1t
goes without saying, that, if we exhaust our
domestic lumber supply within the next half
dozen years, We shall have TO depend after
ward on imported timber.
The matter is now receiving at least a share
Of the attention it deserves. In his annual
message President Arthur said "'Thc con-
dtion of the forests of the country, and the
wastcful manner in which their destruction
is taking place, give cause for serious apprc-
henson and their total extinction can not
be long delayed, unless better methods than
now prevail shall be adopted for their pro;ec-
ton aud cultivation" Congress ought GER
tainly to take steps for the abatement of the
evil us far as tie National domains are CON
ccrucd, and the sooner decided and thor
ough-gong action is taken the better. Vast
tracts of wooded territory belonging to the
Nation are almost daily burned over, either
by carclessncss or through pure wantonncss
the axe of the lumbor-thief is vigorously at
work; aud unless decisive action is taken
III, re will be an enormous pccuniary loss TO
the government on its lumber and great tracts
of land will he converted into condition no
better than that of desert.
While Congress is somewhat rcmiss in
this important matter, it is encouraging to
note that the States are taking hold OF 1t
in right earnest In large number OF them
Forestry Commissions have been created to
thoroughly investigate the subject and devise
for the evils complained Of, and
there is every indication that the people
are thoroughly aroused to n sense Of the
great Importance of tic matter. In New
York there is great anxiety over the
tard dcnuda,ion of the Adirondack for
csts, and the Legislature is about 10 take
action in the matter. The case is well
stated by the New York Ucrald, which says:
''Ihc wholesale Telling of timber is not alone
destroying our most beautiful natural parks
and rapidly killing of the game, but it is un-
covering the watersheds and drying up the |
streams on which the middle and southern |
Counties depend Tor the operation Of the vast
mill system. Valuable mill property has
been abandoned from this cause in almost |
every one Of the counties referred TO; but it |
Is now becoming more serious matter, for
the supply of drinking water on which the
great cities depend is seriously threatened
BY this constant destruction OF the forests
aud will eventually he cut of il some needed |
precautions are not promptly taken" In
Vermont as our readers know, three Of our
most eminent citizens have been appointed
members Of our forestry Commission, TO
present u report upon the matter of our for
sis and their protection to the next Lcslsla-
ure. Each of these gentlemen has made a
pecial study Of the subject and will enter
ipon the duties of their appointment with an
excellent and thorough preparation; and
heir report will be thorough, practical and
'aluablc. Their recommendations, We doubt
rot, will be such ms will, ii adopted, stop the
destruction of our forests and place Vermont
n the van of the States in this respect. That
t is time for action is beyond doubt,