The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-19
A TIMBER CROP.

Although it has been two years since e.
Fernow. chief of the Forestry Division of
the United States Department of Agricul-
ture, delivered his lecture before the
Worlds Fair Congress of the American
Forestry Association, its recent publica-
ton in the report of the proceedings of
the association recalls a memory of its
wisdom and suggests an idea to California.
While we are constantly deploring the
scarcity of certain kinds of wood and the
high price Of fuel we are paving no atten-
ton to the possibility of growing timber as
crop.
Practically the only woods produced
naturally on this coast are those suitable
for building purposes. These are the best
of their kind in the world, but not only
are there many other uses to which Ium-
Der can be put, but the supply Of our build
ing timber is being gradually reduced. The
University of California is giving close at
tention to the forestry question, but so far
it has not made appreciable Roadway in
cultivating the idea of forest-growing for
profit. Our present conception of the for
estry question is limited to the disastrous
effects which must follow the decreasing
of our mountain slopes. 1t is inconsistent
to give SO much attention to irrigation
while disregarding and even destroying
the natural conditions under which water
is stored and irrigation made possible.
But that is a matter apart. We are con-
sidering now the question of growing tim
Der as a marketable crop. In the hurry
to secure returns from soil products it is
difficult to force ourselves to consider the
growing of timber for the market. Never
theless there are peculiar reasons why the
subject should be of great interest to Cali
fornians. There are, first, the existing ne
cessity of importing at heavy expense all
the hard woods needed in the manufacture
of furniture, cars and other things, and,
second, the scarcity of fuel.
1t is singular fact that the only planted
forests in California are those on noun
tain slopes in and about San Francisco,
and that the only trees so planted are the
eucalyptus, the Monterey cypress and an
inferior pine. The expresses and pines are
unfit for anything except charcoal or poor
fuel, and the eucalyptus is inferior to both.
That is to say, these immense plantations,
covering thousands of acres on the PENN
sula of San Francisco and on the mountain
slopes back of Oakland and Berkeley, are
almost worthless for ornamentation and
practically valueless in comparison with
other trees that might have been planted.
And yet, considering the wonderful growth
made by these trees, it is more than likely
that they will give very handsome re-
turn on the small cost of planting and the
slight annual tax on the land
The remarkable growth and vigor of all
kinds of vegetation suited to the State con-
stitute one of the unique marvels of Cali
fornia. The walnut, one of the most,
valuable of hardwood trees, is planted
solely for the nut which it bears, and vet
no hint has been taken from the wonderful
wood-growth which the tree makes in
favorable situations. The cherry is an
other valuable wood and it grows here to
prodigious size. Had Professor Fernow
been familiar with these and with many
similar extraordinary things appertaining
to tree-growth in California he might well
have named forestry as one of the most
profitable industries awaiting intelligent
attention in California. And the most
remarkable phase of the situation is the
ability to grow wood and fruit in the same
plantation. There are many rugged hill
sides where olive orchards might be
planted ana grown without cultivation,
and what wood is more valuable than