The San Francisco call., 1898-03-29
THE VALUE OF FORESTS.

n WRITER connected with the Department of \ Agriculture says that at the present rate of destruction there will be hardly forest tree left in this country in fifty years.
 We have already called attention to this subject in noticing the summer session of the Forestry Con- gress be held in this State next July. The Pres- dent has just proclaimed another great timber vation in the San Bernardino mountains in Southern California.
 The reservations i'll this State are so extensive to demand the application to them most actively, of the principles of forestry. We hope this will be discussed by the coming congress It will not do to immense forest tracts and then let take her course. The exclusion of stock increases the amount of combustibe material on the forest floor, while IS made necessary preserve the sprouting timber which is to make the future crop. This crop, however IS equally of devastation by fire in the accumulation of duff and dried grasses.
 These reservations cannot be effectively protected against fire by exclusion of shepherds, herds and campers. It Is known that forest fires in mountains from lightning in the not infrequent thunderstorms that in the dry It will prove to be necessary that measures be taken to move the dead and fallen timber, the fallen leaves and resinous which drop after they have opened and spilled their seeds and penetrate and surround especially valuable timber tracts with wide roads, which there of fire.
 In Europe all of these things are done by trained foresters who graduate in special schools and con- stitute branch of the regular civil service of the State When have advanced sufficiently in forestry and the open timber is so destroyed as to make necessary the commercial use of timber within the reservations, its harvest under preservative regua tons may be leased to mill men, who will pay stump age for the privilege and thus provide income to meet the expense of preserving the timber and pro- noting its growth on these reservations.
 The manufacture of wood pulp is reaching i'm mense proportions in the United States. A thousand plants are now engaged in this business The very paper on which this article is printed but recently green tree The wood used for pulp is generally of the sorts not favored for lumber or dimension timber In securing pulping trees the same destruc- tive methods are followed as in lumbering The pulp woods being rapidly exhausted while the demand for pulp is as rapidly increasing. Under these con ditions forestry be resorted to for information as to the propagation and preservation of the pulp woods If properly treated the forests which furnish it can be kept producing, and the product will become very valuable and important article of ex- port.
 The trees used spruce poplar, pine hem lock, bass wood, balsam cypress, birch maple beech buckeye and gum. We have the most of them here The buckeye especially abounds and has not here tofore attracted attention for its economic possibil- ties. It is rapid grower, thrives in rocky and unpromisng situations, has high resistance to aridty, bears nuts abundanty, and its propa- gation may become very interesting and profit able The spruce forests of the State are considerable and, by of their winged seeds are persistent and capable of spreading pro- vded they are protected from fire From this source aso revenue may be derived to maintain system of forestry. The adaptation of such system to our laws form of government and popular habits is a subject of the keenest interest and its immediate discussion by foresters and lawyers is very necessary
 There appears to be reason for the statement sent by telegraph that the President will waver Spain he mood do all