Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-01
CUR FORT SITS.
The Third Report Of Names
Forest Commissioner.
Largely Devoted 10 Work Of Forest
Expert Austin Carey
= practical and Scientific study Of wains's
Growth Of Spruce.

Ao AepoTI OF Names forest
commissioner. Hon. Charles E. Oak, is
now made public, and will prove a
volume of absorbing interest to our
legislators and to all interested in the
industries and welfare of the State.
Forestry in Maine is something new.
but 1t is becoming recognized as mat
ter of great Importance. and this re-
port, as an study of Names forest con-
ditions, ought to be familiar to every
citizen.
In the opening pages Mr. Oak dis
cussed the matter of forest fires and
strongly urges that the organization
of fire wardens be perfected. and that
they be under the direction of the COM
missioners. Private owners seem so
little disposed to save property from
forest fires that the State should take
active measures in this line. as several
other states have done. At present the
commissioner is powerless to act in
case of an emergency. He suggests
that the railroads in dry seasons send
their section men over their beats to
extinguish the many fires that catch
from sparks. He says that the fire
notices" which have been so widely
posted have done a great amount of
good.
The report makes a volume of about
$40 pages. OF these Mr. Oak has con-
tributed about score of pages, and
all the rest is the work of Mr.. Austin
Cary. Maine man, who is making the
subject of forestry a life study, and
whose work in this line abroad and for
the national forestry division, has
peculiarly fitted him for the task in
which he was engaged. 1t is doubtful
if there is any other person in the
United States with his practical ex-
perience. and the results of his studies,
explorations, investigations and reason
ings. written in his own language,
form the principal part of the report.
To understand and appreciate this
important work it must be read and
studied by the individual. No brief
newspaper abstract can do justice to
the facts Mr.. Cary has presented, and
the problems he has SO clearly out
lined. With substantial scientific basis
under all, he has treated his subject in
a plain, practical, interesting manner.
He raises no calamity cry over the des-
truction Of our forests, for he believes
any danger from this to be much too
| remote to cause worry but he does show
| in startling manner the enormous
waste in Maine numbering operations.
1t is to the spruce of Maine that the
| report is largely devoted, the present
stand in the forests and the growth
that is the key to future supply. Spruce
| is Names greatest forest product, and
the demand for it is increasing as the
pulp mills multiply. 1t is a tree hard
| to suppress, growing where soil is thin
and surviving dense shade. The great
spruce area of Maine is far inland, be-
| ing mostly more than 600 feet above
| the sea level. The spruce producing
miles of the 1880 in the State, the ex-
| Guided portion being the counties of
York, Cumberland, Androscoggin. Ken
nebec, Sagadahoc, Knox, Waldo, Lin
coin and the southern portions of Ok
| ford, Franklin, Somerset and Penob-
scot. Unlike pine spruce cannot be
| killed out of our woods, and the supply
will always be in some degree MAIN
tanned. .~'ttte' ~
The interest to the reader and the
true value of the report are increased
by the fact that Mr.. Cary has employed
the narrative form throughout his
work. 1t is the stery of his summers
investigation and exploration through
the upper drainage region of the Ken
nebec and the .Androscoggin, during
- = ~
which he spent Ga days in actual woods
work and covered by foot over7Oo miles.
Mr., Cary has taken nothing at second
hand that he could possibly get at first
hand. and he has only relied upon the
information of lumbermen, scalers and
others when he knew it to be reliable.
Inlthe upper Kennebec drainage the
Dead river was the earliest to be cut
for lumber both pine and spruce. Re-
| cent cutting there has been of very
severe kind, and so sweeping in area
that but small regions. those far back
on the difficult streams, are still uncut.
The best of the pine, of course, was
years ago cut from every township on
the drainage. Spruce began to be cut
about 1850, beginning with the best and
! handiest timber. OF late years the cut
has been systematic and severe. The
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