The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-03-23
BIC STONE GAP WISE COUNTY, Va. THURsDA1


espcctively first and second in impor
lance, as far as production OF values goes
the forest product occupies the thirt
place. This was the case according to tb'
census of 1850. 1t is claimed that since
then the lumber industry has enlarged t
such all extent as to make lis pruduc
second, if not first in value"
In the same pamphlet he says:
"The favorable influence which the for.
est growth exerts in preventing the wash
ing of the soil and in retArdng the the
torrcntal flow of water, and also in check
ing the winds and thereby reducing rapit
evaporation, further in facilitating
subtertanean drainage and influencing
climatic conditions, on account Of
which it is desirable to preserve
certain parts Of the natural forest growth
and extend it elsewhere-this favorable
influence is due to the dense cover Of foil
age mainly, and to these mechanical OBJ
struction which the trunks and the litter
of the forest floor offer.
Any kind of tree growth would answer
this purpose, and all the forest manage
lmcnt necessary would he 10 simply abstain
from interference and leave the ground to
natures kindly action.
"This was abont the idea Of the first
advocates of forest protection in this
country; Keep out fire, keep out cattle.
keep out the AK Of man, and nothing more
is needed to keep our mountains under
forest cover forever.
"But would it lie rational and would it
be necessary to Withdraw large tcrrl-
tory from human use in order 10 secure
this beneficial influence? 1t would be,
indeed, in many localities, ii the advanta-
rcs of keeping it under forest could not
be secured simultaneously with the en-
plovment of the soil for useful production,
but rational forest Management secures
both the advantages Of favorable forest
conditions and the production Of useful
material Not only is the rational cut
tinr Of the forest not antaSonistic to
favorable forest conditions, but In skill
full hands the latter cnn be improved by
the udicous use Of the NIX.
an fact the demands for forest preser-
yation on the mountains and the methods
of forest management for profit in such
localities are more or less harmonious;
thus the absolute clearing Of the forest on
steep hillsides, which is apt to lead to
desiccation and washing Of the soil, is
equally detrimental to profitable forest
management, necessitatng, M it does,
replantng under difficulties.
Forest preservation, then, does not, as
seems to be imagined by many, exclude
proper forest utilization, but on the con-
trarv these may we'll 60 hand in hand,
preserving forest conditions while secur-
ing valuable material; the first require
ment only modies the manner, in which
the second is Satisfied"
Apropos to the consistency of for
est utilization with forest prescrva-
ton is the following from the 9th
volvmc of the Tenth census Report.
1.-The forest wealth of the country
is still undoubtedly enormous. Great
as it is, however, it is not inexhausti-
bic, and the forests of the United
States, in spite of their extent, varl-
ETY. and richness, and in spite of the
fact that the climatic conditions of a
large portion of country arc peculiar
" favorable to the development Of
forest growth cannot always contip-
NC productive if the simplest laws of
nature governing their growth be to-
tally disrcgardcd. -
"Thc judicious cutting Of a forest
in a climate like that of the Atlantic
or Pacific regions entail no serious
or permanent loss. \ crop ready for
the bcnft of the community; trees
which have reached their prime are
cut in stead of being allowed to per-
ish naturally, and others take their
place. The pcrmanencc of the forest
4 in regions better suited for the growth
Of trees than for general agriculture
may thus be insured. Two causes,
however, arc constantly at work de-
stroving the pcrmancnce Of the forest
of the country and threatening their
total extinction as sources of natural
prosperity. Fire and browsing ami
mails inhict greater amount of in
lure on the forests of the country than
the ak, rccklessly and wastefully as
it is generclly used against them
The documents quoted from con-
tain much valuable information in
regard to our forests resources and
their proper management, which is
commended to the thoughtful reader.
The facts which / wish to empha-