Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-12-21
FOREST RESERVATION.
Our Country Has Much to Learn from
Those of Europe.

Those of Europe.
There are few matters which ought
to be of greater interest to the peo-
pie Of the United States than the
preservation of what forest lands still
remain to us untouched by making
them into Government reserves
Among the Open Letters in the Oc-
t0ber number of the Century is one
by Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore or this
subject, and it is very interesting
The practical and farseeing policy
(she writes) Of c. eating Government
forests and timber-land reserves must
be popularized by campaigns OF eds
cation, argument and proof in the
immediate region of the reserves
These forest tracts are reserved as
climatic agents in equalizing tenn
reraturCS: DIS protective measures to
guard, preserve and regulate the
water supply of neighboring agricul-
tural regions; and as economic meas
ures to preserve and cultivate sup
plies of timber fer a time when the
present reckless and Wasteful lum-
boring system will have exhausted ali
forests not owned and reserved by
the Government such reservations
have been opposed in many sections
hy the very classes to te benefited
and protected by the re erves. The
average American. living only for the
present day and the dollars OF the
moment, in this extravaganza age of
wood does not consider the lumber
less condition Of the next century,
when wood will ranh with metal as
in Europe when wood viii be little
used as a building material, when
rails will be laid on metal ties, and
stone piers and docks replace our
wooden WharyeS resting on acres Of
piles. The guarding Of the water
supply is the only argument that ap-
pealS to Western settlers, and several
Colorado valleys with empty fumes
and irrigation bitches already offer
objcct-lessOns as to the effect OF
wholesale forest destruction on any
watershed.
Germany and France learned a cen
tury ago that forest destruction dried
up the rivers. turned fertile plains to
deserts and increased climatic eX-
tremes. In those countries, forestry
is an established profession, and
wood crops are cultivated as mu;h as
root or cereal crops. Russia has late
ly been taught the severe lesson Of
forest destruction and in French and
German schools has trained foresters
to preserve and manage it's timber
lands and redeem its wastes India,
Australia and Canada have systems
Of forest preservation and manage
ment. The Government forests 10
India return an average net revenue
Of $500, 900 a year. Great forest fires
are thing of past dark age in Can
ada, and it's lumbermen cooperate
with the Dominion authorities in
protecting the forests.
The United States alone lags be-
hind the age 1t did not learn from
others experience to reserve in the
beginning all timber lands for the
General Government. to derive per-
petual revenue from them, besides
guarding the best interests of the
people thereby. The timber culture
laws were failure, as only 10 per
cent of nearly 81 900, 900 acres taken
up were planted with trees as re-
uui ed. More Government timber is
destroyed by fire each year than is
used by the people. In addition &c
| IS, 900, 900 annually lost in burned
| timber, the Government RECEIVERS an
average of but one-thirtieth Of the
| value of timber stolen.
The United States sells its forest
| lands at 81. 30 an acre, lumber COM
panes Indirectly acquiring a square
mile Of land for little over 1000,
while the timber on it is often worth
| 20, 600 The French Government
| forests return an average profit OF
-. 80 an acre annually from timber
sales, or y per cent. interest on the
ya'ue of the land. The United States
now owns only enough forest land to
! provide contin al timber supply tC
| its present population, if forests are
! managed and lumber used As in Ger
many. The United States Is exactly
| in the poSition OF man making large
| drafts on and using up an immense
/ Idle capital, which, If properly in
| vested. would return an interest suf-
| ficient for his expenditures
Notwithstanding our previous waste
efforts have been lately made, in Il
measure, to retrieve tGe past by set
| Ting aside Government reservations.
| At present there are fifteen Of these
traces. aud theii combined area
amounts to about 20. 900 square miles
or 3 00D 900 acres
Nictoria's Dogs.
N-intnrin hos Hffu. fi.n TO