Evening star., 1897-04-19
Secretary Wilson Giving Special At
tention to the Subject.
TIMBER Will LAST FORTY YEARS
What Prof. Fernow Says Upon
the Subject.
FORESTRY AS AN INDUSTRY

iect of forestry. Secretary Wilson pro-
poses to do all in his power during his
administration II inaugurate O system of
tree-planting and care for the forests,
which Will prevent the present tendency
to destroy the timber of the country and
TO leave it fifty years hence practically
without material of this kind.
1t is not generally realized, although
scientists who have studied the question
are well aware of the fact, that the carnif
erous woods now available for timber in
the United States. and this is about the
only timber that is useful for building pur-
poses. will not last at the present rate of
consumption more than forty years. 1t
taken from 100 to 200 years to grow this
wood and it may well be seen why spe-
cialists very much concerned over
having the country adopt the policy which
Will give future generations building ma
terial.
Secretary Wilson, speaking to a Star re-
porter today, said that he had already in
structed an agent of the department 10
investigate the character of trees that
grow successfully in the arid portions of
Australia and Russia, and to forward to
this country seed for planting the same.
There are millions of acres now lying
waste in the United States that Mr. Wilson
hopes can be utilized for growing wood,
and he proposes to endeavor to introduce
upon lHlS ldnO trees tnat are SHOWN 10
thrive under exactly similar conditions in
foreign countries. He has not had time
to look into the subject very thoroughly
yet, but he has made a beginning and soon
proposes to- pursue it further. Up to the
present time ne has been occupied largely
with the reorganization of the personnel
of his department. with the work of dis
tributing beet seed in all parts of the
United States where, 1t is believed. 1t Will
grow successfully. for the purpose of sugar
manufacturing, and in outliring a plan of
investigation which will give to the farm
ers of the country information which will
permit them TO sell their butter in foreign
countries. The stamping out of hog chol-
era has also been given some attention by
him. The next subject to which he pro-
poses to devote the energies of the for
estry division of his department is that
of preserving and increasing the wood
supply of the country.
Bernard E. Fernow, chief of the division
of forestry in the Department of Agricul-
ture. has made life study of his work
and it will be through him that Secretary
Wilson will operate in the rehabilitation of
the forests of the country. Speaking OF the
great consumption of timber in this coun-
today:
Mr. FernOw's Statement.
THE United States consumes about 400
feet of board measure per capita of car
niferous timber, which includes pine,
spruce, hemlock, cypress. cedar. tamarack.
This consumption is against about 120 feet
of board measure consumed per capita in
Great Britain and $50 feet In Germany the
latter figures including all classes of woods.
In the United States about $50 feet per
capita Of all kinds of woods are consumed.
We must depend upon the carniferous
woods for our timber. and at the present
rate of consumption the supply in sight In
this country will not last more than forty
years. AT present lumbermen do not cut
wood of this kind under about $50 years
old, and when We take into consideration
that IL requires at least 1D years to grow
such timber to a size suitable for cutting,
We can see readily that the situation that
faces the country Is a more grave one than
is generally supposed When this subject
is broached IL is common for people to say,
oh, but when our timber is gone other
timber will have grown in its place. The
facts in the case show how greatly mis-
taken are people who take this view Of the
subject The southern pine that We are
now using is, as a rule. over 300 years old.
AS we come to cut smaller trees We ex-
perience a greater waste than occurs when
large ones are hewn- Now one-half of the
contents Of the large logs are lost III waste
by the time they are put on the market in
the form of manufactured articles, and as
smaller trees are used this waste increases.
1T is one thing to grow trees and quite
another TO grow trees that will be good for
timber. There are weeds among trees just
as there weeds in the garden Very
frequently people refer to the planting of
trees III some parts of the west as basis
for their belief that we can grow timber
as want it. 1t is we'll enough to plant
shade trees and they may some time be
available for frewood, but We must grow
our timber II speak of carniferous timber,
which Is the bulk of all timber used) only
where nature has shown that such timber
has been successfully grown in the past.
In order to use our timber and at the same
time to permit its growth, that the sup
ply may not give out we must go into
forestry. Our lumber trade amounts to
sl.uC,UDOV year and. next to agricul-
trre. Is the largest industry in this country.
All the mines of metals of all kinds and
the 4uarries all over the earth produce but
500 $4,000 per year.
The first thing we must do is to protect
the forests against fire. This can be done
by proper organization. and a start in that
direction has already been made by the
states of Minnesota and Maine. Forestry is
an industry requiring such large capital
making II necessary for those who follow it
TO reap their profits frequently after a De-
riod greater than the average lifetime and
for these reasons individuals will naturally
be slow TO embark upon such enterprises
1t Is more properly the function of the gov
ernment than of individuals. The govern
ment of Austria is now spending 81, OOO 100
per anbGm in the increase of its forest
properly, having realized the necessity for
timber culture. as well as the fact that
proper restrictions against the destruction
OF stch wealth could only be fully realized
Mhe4i the forests belong to the govern
ment"
As an Individual Investment.
Would 1t be possible" Mr. Fernow was
asked. for an individual to enter upon
forestry IN this country and to secure at
once and continuously a return of Der
cent?
Not only could a return of @ per cent
be secured. but a much larger return would
result II the business were entered upon
In the right way. In the first place in
oruer TO make forestry pay, 1t must be pur-
sued e1 very extensive scale Let me
take 2.Ug.UO acres of southern pine lands
and VIII show You an industry that will
pay II or II per cent. and will become more
and more profitable the years 90 nv
But IL is not all forest land that will Weld
immediate returns. and. whatever the re-
turns may be. IL can only be successfuIlv
pursued by the investment OF an enormous
capital
The Importance of forestry to the farm
ers In the west is not realized by them to-
day. There is an idea In that section of
the country that timber suitable for house
building can be supplied by the planting Of
trees there You may plant trees there.
4" they will not yield timber In that sec