Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-07-17

FIRST Of ITS KIND.
Forestry Exhibit at Worlds
Fair an Innovation.
4 Unique Building--Exterior Of Tim
Der in State Of Nature.
aterier Wealth oi Woed and Wooden Ar,i.
cies-HiII Teach Great Lesson.

4tseed IN review Deiore MS eye, ana No Is
, ,Ieady TO go home satisfied that he has seen
Il that is worth seeing, some one asks
{ i'm what he thinks of this or that display.
nd the visitor is compelled TO admit he
as not seen it all at all Among the fea-
Tres which the careless or hurried visitor
} likely to overlook altogether is the
'orestry building. But to do this is a
I :reat mistake. 1t is true the building
tands at the extreme southern end Of the
rounds, where the crowds do not much
90, but the location is really easily access
BILE for the reason that the elevated intra-
mural railway runs along side it and has
b, STATION right by its main entrance.
Therefore there is no excuse for any one
failing to see the magnificent display of
-1he forestry products of the world to be
found down there.
For the first time in the history of inter
Snational expositions there is department
] # forestry. This is but one of the many
I innovations which have made this exposi-
ion stand out rre-eminent above all its
predecessors as the most comprehensive
hing of the sort the world ever saw Not
pnly is the foresty department unprece-
lented, but the special building erected
or its use is unique, characteristic and
beautiful. Though very large enclosure,
Containing more than three acres of
ground space, it does not appear large in
with its mighty surroundings.
The exterior is made of timber in a state
|of nature, or only half dressed. and the
bark side is shown outward as much as
possible. On each Of the four sides of the
building is veranda, its roof supported
by series of columns composed of tree
trunks, the thickest being 20 inches in
diameter and the others smaller. All
these trunks are left with the bark on.
The columns were contributed by the va
rious states and territories of the Union,
each furnishing specimens of its most
characteristic trees. The sides of the
building are covered with slabs with the
bark removed. and the windows and other
openings are treated in the same rustic
manner The main entrance is elaborately
finished in different kinds of woods. the
material and workmanship being fur
nished by the wood-workers of the world.
The other entrances are treated artistically
various countries and regions. The roof
Is matched with tanbark and other harks.
The interior is sinished with woods SO
dressed As to show the grains OF the
worlds timber and its capacity to receive
polish.
Within tho show is wonderfully com
plete and fascinating. 1t first impresses
the visitor rs being dull and afflicted with
sameness all the way through, but pause
for n few moments and this notion VIII
be effectually removed from your mind.
When you come to make a detailed exam
ination of the displays, to which you
should devote at least half a day and will
be sorry before yeu get through that you
have not even more time, you will perceive
that about everything in the world that
comes from the forests is here to be found
in its most interesting and suggestive
form. Here are shown great logs cut
bodily from hig trees, with bark foot
thick around their outer edge. Here are
all the barks and dye woods of commerce,
from the equator and from the northern
forests. Here are quaint mosses, abnormal
growths into fancifui forms, gals and
burIs, lichens, vegetable substances used
for bedding and upholstery, gums, resins,
vegetable ivory, cocoanut shells, g"urds,
wood pulp which is becoming such an i'm
portant factor in the making Of wrapping
paper and the pa.er from\ which news
papers are printed. rattan, wooden ware,
willow ware-evcrything which grows III
the forests or is manufactured from their
products
Moreover. this exhibit is likely to mark
n turning point in the history Of American
forestry. One of the chief difficulties en-
countered in the preparation of the ex-
hibit was the absence of forestry organiza.
tion in this country. the lack Of statistics
and cohesveness in the great timber in
dustries. The various states and tcrritor-
les of the Union were appealed to for in
formation concerning the extent. variety
and value of their native forests. and they
responded so generously that it may be
said thefuture promises an organization
and understanding of the forestry interests
such AS has been long needed in this conn
try. In Germany the science of preserv-
ing forests or growing new forests is a
great factor in the industrial life Of the
tmpire. There forestry is regarded as a
profession, and every year hundreds Of
graduates are turned out of the technical
who afterward follow that inn
portant branch of agriculture for liveli-
hood
Probably the first lessons in this noble
art We're taught in this country by the
tablishment of arbor or tree planting day
on the western prairies, and when Secre-
tary of Agriculture Morton. the father of
Arhor day. comes to the Worlds fair he
will be pleased to find here fine display
~. t1N~. sN= .,p,n .
braska cut from trees planted by the early
settlers. Already the department OF ayr
culture at Washington, which Is doing
more good service to the farmers and the
people of this country than most people
,hink. has taken the lead under the intelli-
gent and enthusiastic guidance of Pro-
tessor Fernow in efforts to instil the art of
forest preservation and cultivation among
The masses. II is predicted by competent
Judges that the indirect effects Of this for.
estry show at the Worlds fair will be
worth hundreds of millions of dollars to
he American people during the next cen
tnry
In the center of the building is an i'm
3ressive trophy of forestry products. a
heaping together of pieces which are note
worthy or characteristic To this pyramid
the states and territories of this country
and many of the nations of the world con
,Iibuted, MoIe interesting than any ut her
feature of the pile is the pair of tall. light
nd graceful bamboos which Japan has
irected as crown to the whole They are
Is feet long and reach to the roof of the
At their base they are not more
than eight inches in diameter, and at the
top they curve in pretty lines under the
white screen which hangs under the gable
of the binding. Kansas contributes a
walnut log more than seven feet in
diameter and weighing 30.01 pounds.
Kentucky furnishes the splendid white
oak log that forms the base, and North
Carolina is represented by another mann
moth walnut log
California shows n section Of one of the
redwood giants, more than fourteen feet
In diameter. \ tack placed in the section
near the center shows the stage of growth
which the tree had attained in the year
that Columbus discovered America. and
hen this veteran of the forests was 3s1
years old. The Argentine Republic is well
by a section of palm tree,
which looks like mineral and which is said
to be indestructible when placed in the
earth and therefore immensely valuable
for telegraph poles, fence posts and other
There are specimens of the
famous Ching Ching wood from Siam, ont
IF which all manner Of toolsa are fashioned.
the pradoo knot from the same country
which polishes like onyx, great sections of
The Oregon larch or tamarack, ana so
many similar specimens from all over the
wo-id that one finds the trophy pyramid .
little. exposition in itself
The general system Of display followed
the building is well eontrived
10 show the nature and value Of the va
rious specimens. Each section Of tree
Exhibited is so prepared ss to show the
heart and sapwood by four planes-trans-