The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-15
NORTHERN nrssrs SOFA r8S.@sTRr. r8S@s
An Excellent Paper by the Late
Warren w. Pendergast.

the paper read by the late Warren W.
Pendergast before the Forestry associ-
alton at it's last meeting. The whole
naner is remarkable for it's practical
views, and is of especial interest from
the fact that it's author was Dut tWen-
ty-one years Of age, and had fecelNeu
his training at Minnesota schools ana
the college of agriculture:
Minnesota is a state in which commercial
numbering has advanced far enough to call
the attention of the people to its attenoant
lamentable results: Yet 1t is stste .s,.iII IN
of virgin forest that it offers held for an
intelligent system of forest management per
haps unexcelled by any ether. A state WhlGh
commences to husband her forest area only
after the lumbermen have got through with
it. perhaps even then may make sate IN
vestment in her attempts at refofestihg; Dut,
nevertheless she undertakes to do that from
which return can be derived only IN the ois-
tant future and she can expect but half
hearted support from people as impatient OIL
results as Americans.
And so in Minnesota we are now at thaI
stage of great possibilities when enough OIL
our forest has disappeared to create gen
eraI concern and a desire for better manage
ment in the future; and yet enough REMAINS
to make intelligent supervisor very prac7
tical thing If it can be established beyond
reasonable doubt that the pine forests OF
Northern Minnesota can be made TO ylela
greater and more permanent revenue IMAM
they now do, it is the duty OF the stase "
embrace the opportunity which is afforded ner
of obtaining such revenue. But 1t is also
Ter duty not to undertake to establish an
elaborate forestry system until sucn returns
are assured.
Now. of course. there are certain pro-
visions to be made in regard to the forests
of this state, the wisdom OF when is sen
evident. Anybody knows that fires SHOULD
he prevented as much possible. we know
that the lumbermen should pay fer all lhe
pine they cut. It is clear tt at it would be
wise to keep as large forest reserve as
Observation-Disclosures, by the time we are ready
IN o. to work in forestry our forests will
he gone But besides these SPECIFIC and ur-
gent provisions whose application IS OF I'M
mediate necessity, there lies the great ques-
ton of the establishment of permanent,
comprehensive, business forest policy IN thls
The construction of such policy will be no
easy matter. We have no mCdes 10 CiiHuly
follow. We can find no place where 1ores1
system has been applet to conditions eX-
actlv similar to ours. Fortunatey,7it is now
practically assured that the division OF Tor
estry at Washington Will undertake IN tnls tills
state some experimental and demonstrative
work in forestry, which in the future Will be-
come of undoubted value
At the very outset of the consideration OF
plans for forestry work the necessity OF some
divisions in the line of work is imposed py
the various characteristic classes OF lanus
which exist in Northern Minnesota. In
general way these classes may be charac-
VI FirstETbe areas of standing merchantable
pine. .oo.
too small for logs.
Third-The jack pine lands.
Fourth-Low areas covered with such
growths as tamarack and spruce.
Fifth-Cut-over lands.
SiXth-Burnt-over lands.
Seventh-I1ard-wood lands.
Now. then the theoretical question is; How
can these several classes Of land be made
profitable to the people OF the stateE On
several of the classes named the line OF
work Immediately suggests itself. For IN
stance n the mercantable pine demonst a
ton is needed of a system OF logging Whlch
will leave the land in the best shape for the
| continued production of pine. In the areas
of small pine the most efficient method OF
guarding against fres-timely thinning, etc
would constitute the work. In the light land
now covered by Jack p-ne, the replacement
by more valuable sorts, such as Norway,
would seem to be promising line TO 1o4-
low In the cut-over and denuded lands, the
question of reforesting is the one naturally
suggested In the other classes Of land man-
toned the work will not be so easily outlined.
Looking at the qeustion in this light. we
recognize not only the scientific aspect OF the
states ga ming title or control OF such areas.
The kinds easiest to acquire viii be the light
er Jack pine lands and the areas of cut-over
and burnt-over tracts, especially such OF
the latter as are rocky or very rough ana
hilly. Then. the tracts Of young pine may
/ possibly be gotten hold Of. There is q con-
siderable amount of land III Northern Min
nesota bearing pine from six to ten inches
in diameter These tracts, it seems to me,
offer the most promising and the quickest re-
turns for forestry work. They are largely
good agricultural lands and they have been
honesteaded to quite an extent. This fact
may make 1t harder to get title to them,
but it may be q good thing after all. in that
it may furnish a practical way TO keep out
fires by the cultivation CT part Of the land
for crops.
So in the light of the pract cal use to
which the results of investigation may 80
put, the following lines would appear to be
the ones to be followed up:
First-Replacement OF poor sorts on light
lands.
second-Methods OF reforesting denuded
Third-Management OF young growth now
standing
Fourt6-Test of the adapta5.lity of foreign
sorts of timber trees.
F.fth--Demonstrations OF proper methods OF
numbering.
If the results obtained hy study and re-
search along these lines encouraging,
the value of our forest domain will be greatly
augmented.
Now, in summing up the prospects for for
estry in Northern Minnesota, would say
that they depend On three things:
First-Forest preservation-stop the fires;
stop the steals; increase the reserve.
Second = Forest investigation = find out
whether any system of forestry will be prof.
table. If so, what system?
Th.rd-Forest legislation-fnd means to give
the state title or control Of lands on which
a forest system may be applied.
Forest preservation is already under way.
Forest investigation is to be commenced.
Forest legislation this body must grapple
| with.
Court Calls To-day.
Jury-Judges Kelly and Otis, IS, 11s, II,
! SO, 152.
Court-Judge Willis, rs, 20, 5s, 90. 12q, 1s1.
Chambers-Judge Bum.
prcI cInotn