The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-13
DIR. FORESTS.
The Lumberman Does Not Do the In
jury He Is Charged With.
George E. Walsh. in the Independent.

George E. Walsh. in the Independent.
over twenty years ago it was predicted
that q great lumber famine would prevail
in this country IN short time II the oen-
day our forests are so prolific in timber
that the output is greater than the demand
and prices are too low for much profit.
In the census of 1880 it predicted that
in eight or nine years the lumber famine,
so far white pine and spruce were con-
cerned, would be upon us, but to-day sew
enteen years later there are easily upward
of 45O0, coo O0O feet 81 spruce growing in New
Hampshire alone. The evident disparity be-
tween the actual condition of affairs to-
day and what was predicted for us two
decades ago lessons somewhat the dire eff
feet Of future prophecies concerning our
lumber supply.
There have been many hasty conclusions
about our forests drawn from inSufhcient
data. There has been a sentimental party
who has advocated the preservation OF our
forests largely because trees were consid-
cred beautiful and attractive and that it
was a sin to destroy them One prominent
writer in a leading magazine even went
so far as to confess that she had never
been guilty of the sin of having a tree cut
down, and that if she had her way she
would as soon think of losing a member
of the family as to destroy tree. 1t Is such
sentimental views of the question OF fores-
try that cause so many errors to be spread
throughout the country. There has; conse-
quently, grown up a feeling against lumber
men, who seem to be going about the coun-
try to strip the land of all trees. and to
turn the earth into barren place
1t is about time that better general
idea of the forestry question should be
understood. While there may be a great
deal of harm done by indiscriminate cut
ting down of forests by lumbermen, the
fact should not be lost sight of that for
ests tend to produce themselves Just the
same as grass. On one condemns the
farmer for cutting his grass. If he does
it intelgently q new crop will spring up,
but if he should cut it and then burn the
stubble with fire he would not have another
This is about the way with our forests
The lumbermen cut the understandable trees
and by so doing thew make room for a
second crop. 1t is we'll known that in our
woods of tall trees tho l'0derbr-'~h s cot
to be thin and scattering. Why? Be-
cause the shade of the tall trees kills
the small SaplingS and young trees. Now
if these timber trees are cut Gown. and the
woods left to take care of themselves for
ten years. a new forest of young trees will
be found growing there. The lumbermen
have merely harvested the first crop-not
killed the trees.
The danger to our forests comes from
fire more than from the AK. Fire not only
destroys the old trees and renders them
useless. but it kills the roots of young and
old, and even destroys the seeds; A piece of
woodland that has been burned by fire may
never recover, unless seeds are sown artif-
ciaIlv hV the owner.
It may not be generally known that our
best timber to-day comes not from the old
primeVal forests. but from the woods that
were denuded by early settlers. These lands
were cut down, and the new growth of
trees that have sprung up there are
better to-day than any which stood when
the country was first discovered The
reason for this is plain to a practical lum-
herman. In the great primeval forests
the vegetation has become so thick that
very few. if any. trees reach perfect
growth. They are stunted or warped early
in life. and where you find one that has
reached perfect development fifty will be
found that are one-sded in their growth
Centuries of undisturbed growth have piled
broken branches and trunks in great heaps
on the floor of the woods and these have
retarded the growth of young trees. The
old trees have been killed or smothered by
more ambitious ones and. as there has not
been space for both. injury has followed
In woods that have been cleared by our
early settlers the trees have had a
better chance The underbrush has been
cleared out more or less for frewood. and
so the few trees standing have been allowed
to develop and mature. In these thin wood
lands the lumberman goes to-day to md
his moss perfect specimens OF timber, ana
not in the lonely primeval forests.
But fire is the curse of our modern Tor
ests and it is more 10 be dreaded than any
woodmans ak Fire does not burn so
readily in old primeval forests because the
woods are reeking with moisture. The
dense forests retain the moisture so album
dainty that it would be hard work for the
trees to burn. But as the forests are de-
nuded and thnned out fire becomes terri
bic fend. The more that scientific forestry
is practiced the more careful and stringent
must our State laws be concerning hTes.