Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-17
FOREST PROTECTION.
Careful Work Being Done by Forest
Commissioner Oak in this Respect.


Zee Of forest couIYnissionef csi 50 WIN uif
view that the Land agent should act a. the
commissioner receiving an extra salary
therefor Of szeo While perhaps the salary
xoaA not Indicate that the position Is im-
uortans nevertheless the present incumbent,
Hon. Charles e.. Oak, 80 regards il and j.
aeVotiag maeb Of bis time To the sabjeet.
4 JocExai reparter found Mr.. Oak at the
land Office engaged in work upon this mat
ter and the conversation turned on this
sabjeet.
DO consider the subject OF better pro-
lection TO our forests an important one
Most a.suredly do. = said Mr.. Oak. 1T
/. not appreciated by the public generally
though, and shall do the best can to
bring IL 10 their attention" See. u of the
la passed at the last Legislature for the
better protection of our forests provides
that the forest commissioner shall take
such measures the State superintendent
Of common schools and the president Of the
state College Of Agriculture snd the Ne
chanie Arts may approve for awakening 40
interest in behalf Of forestry In the public
schools. academies anil colleges Of the
mentary instruction upon this subject
therein" In accordance with this pro-
vision OF the law, the commissioner, to-
gether With the officers named, are pre-
pairing to issue primer on forestry for the
use Of teachers IN giving oral instruction on
the subject. This primer must be simple,
condensed and comprehensive. and it con
.ttutcs quite task in the preparation.
Timber land owners continued the
commissioner, ARE becoming more aud
more urgent every year, for better pro-
lection AMI other classes are coming
more clearly to appreciate the benefits
to the community afforded by our
forest. AMI the serious consequences that
would result from iefores'ation. These
were among the causes that led to the estab-
ii.hing Of this office When people gener-
ally stop to consider that in this State there
i. an annual cut Of about 500 900 900 feet
not Inclusive OF the pulp wood and some
other classes Of lumber, and tina, there is an
annual growth of PROBABLY not more than
10 per cent Of that amount, 80 that while
100 900 900 feet il taken from the forests
annually only about $50 900, 900 feet comes
To a merchantabie size. enc begins to real
LII
respect to our forests which now constitute
such large part of our wealth
We have laws in this State that are in
tended to induce sportsmen 10 come into the
State. visit our lakes, hunt through our
forests. Here they build camps have their
camp fires and frequently are the means of
forest fires starting thar 10 thousands of
dollars of damage. The land overs can
not insure their forests from loss by fire a-
We can our buildings AMI they ask to be
protected
II hear Mr.. teak TINT YOU regard in the
pulp mills as many are now run menace
To Names forests and that you will bring
report
We'll yes that is nearly the idea | have
You see they can make use of the smaller
lumber that would not he cut for other pur-
peses but would be left for say ia years
when the land could he cut over again
and az on. There ia quite marked
In Gn in flss
lumbermen IN several parts of the
State cut off their lumber. Now in
Aroostook county they cut trees from II
inches and upward but on the kennebec, I
am informed. they cut trees from eight
inches upwards and then permit pulp men
To 90 on and make another cutting. Such
methods AZ the latter will leave the land in
such q condition that nothing save pulp
wood can bc cut from it from - to 100
years This in other words means that
whole townships will be left. rs far as hene-
fit To the State or any one else. like deserts
for At least - years TO come
Commissioner Oak referred TO Commits
sioner raeksrd's report which he said was
full of information on the subject. In this
report are numerous letters from prominent
lnmbprmen anl those who have given the
subject study. and the many influences
tending to the destruction of
our forests are described. Com
missioner TAX will vigorously push
the work so well begun. lie is securing
from land owners and other. letters and in
formation respecting the needs in their sry-
erai localities ene letter tina, lay on III
desk beside him was from well known
lun,berman of Washington county The
writer complained tina, he hadn't seen the
new law werk vet. II would appear from
his letter that the county commissioners
had not deemed 1t necessary in the Ian
The writer also says. For several ycais
there have been thousands of acres burned
in the spring bs the blueberry packers
They hire men to burn their own and other
peoples land without consent for the pur-
pose of making BURBERRY grounds. Men
were sent onto nv land and burned. dare
say. iooo acres each spripg for
several years. They say that
in order for the hlueberries to grow we'll
the land needs to be burned every third or
fourth year. They have reduced this burn
ing 10 science. They furnish men with a
piece of iron gas pipe five or six feet long.
one eud bent like Shepherds crook
filed with oil and both ends plugged till in
use when they remove the plug from the
crooked end and set ii on fire. BY scatter
ing the burning oil they can set fires as
fast as they can walk the torch lasting for
hours
Commissioner nak has written the Sc
selectmen of towns reminding them of the
provision of the law requiring them to sep
arste towns into wards, they being consti-
,nied fire wariens. Tie has also reminded
the railroads of their duties under the law
and has bad posters put up in vieinities La
bic 10 forest fires. the poster containing alb
stracts from the law relating to the setting
of fires etc.
Mr.. Oak would have the presen. law
amended so that owners of land should MOI,
set extensive fires for the burning of brush
and the like without the permission of the
municipal authorities, and every person
falling TO comply should become liable in an
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