The Norfolk weekly news., 1899-07-27
THEFORESTRYQUESTION
Planting Of Timber Would Ben.
eft Nebraska.
WASTE LAND BE MADE VALUABLE.

An Educated Forester Thinks White Pine
Could he Produced on tho Sand Hills.
The Preservation and Promotion of For
ests an Important Matter.
The reclaiming of waste land by tt Q
planting of forests and the protection of
forests now growing is occupying the at.
tention of government officials, and is a
matter that should interest every citizen
of the United States 1t is subject of
great magnitude and one of deep mo-
ment to the future of the country, not
alone as regards its lumber and fuel, but
it is well known fact that trees are Of
untold benefit to crops of all kinds as
they draw moisture and assist in pro.
ducing rain.
With plenty of trees in the arid or
semi arid districts of Nebraska and other
states such thing as drouth would be
scarcely heard Of.
In recent conversation with an edu-
Gated German forester, the writer
learned several things in regard to tree
culture. This government is learning
early in its history what it took older
governments hundreds of years to find
out. The protection of forests now in
the United States will save it the ex-
penditure of millions of dollars and
years of labor to attain the end accom-.
plished by those across the water, and
the experience Of those governments is
of valuable aid in shaping the course to
be pursued by this government in pro.
noting and protecting its forest in.
terests.
An experienced forester does not
make his plans to be matured in yea,
or two, but often plans as far ahead az
1870 years, which requires a rather nice
calculation.
With good management the forests
can be preserved and at the same time
as much timber can be cut as is done at
present without regard to future cut
tings. The great difficulty now is that
a force of men will start in on forest
and never let up until scarcely tree is
left while if discretion was used and
only the matured timber taken each sea-
son there would be no diminishing OF
the supply.
If the worthless sand hills in this
state were planted to timber they would
in twenty years time become the best
paying properties in the country, where
as they are now barely worth the taxes
This would be a task that no one individ
ual or set of individuals could handle
but under state or government contro
the end could be attained Many there
are who think that the said hills could
not be made to grow trees, but it is said
that there are men in the employ of the
government with knowledge concern
ing the growth of trees that would en-
able them to accomplish much in thif
direction.
To gain this object the state should
take charge of this land, which is of nj
benefit except for pasture III q small way
and promote forest growth.
The gentleman from whom these
facts were cleaned is Of the opinion tha
white pine could be grown on thil
worthless land and be made to pay
handsomely for the time and money
spent.
Those who have made it study Ar
alarmed at the decrease in timber pro
duction of the forest era Of the country
whi,h is but small per cent of tn
whole, especially is this noticeable on th'
Pacific coast where inexperienced per
sons thought the wood supply mex
haustible.
While now but 8 per cent Of Nebras
ka's territory is estimated as forest land
this might be largely increased and IL
time the state would to some extent taxi
the place of those now regarded as valu
able alone for their timber productions
1t is probable that the state could
make no better investment than in th'
increase Of forest production.