The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-08-30

for growing pine. The white pine loves
good soil, but it ia not an exacttng tree,
and will thrive on poor soil. True
economy demands and 1t Is a funda-
mental principle of forestry that good
soil be reserved for field crops. 1t
takes eighty years on an average to
raise crop Of pine trees on sandy soil
This is too long for individuals to wait
for q crop, and, If the business - to
be undertaken extensively 1t must
be by the state The one great truth
to be impressed on the public mind is,
that we have in Minnesota about three
million acres Of idle land which IS NJ
only for bearing pine, and which, u
planted with pine and administered on
forestry principles, would earn net
revenue Of 5 per cent per annum, COM
pound interest on the capital expended
In the work. ~
Should Lazy the Foundations OF sus-
tanned Forest Yield.
To-day we are cutting fifteen hun
bred million feet of pine in our MIME
sofa forests each year, but IN twenty
years the demand on our forest re-
sources viii be far greater than now,
We should begin to lay the founda-
tions Of sustained forest products, 6e-
cause nature will work with us. IL
was Frederick the Great who started
forestry In Prussia, and the People q
Minnesota can do as much Tor their
state, If they will but give the matter
attention. Fortunately, we have not
the incentive that he had when, AFTER
six years absence in a foreign war, ne
returned to country reduced as Car
lyle says, ttto skin and bones.
4 The value of the 100000 acres OF
state forests In Germany, being on
land unfit for agriculture. Is $70o, VOo,-
600, an amount equal to the total a g
sessed valuation Of property in Mime
sofa The average net revenue there-
from is $23, 000, 900. And the forests are
more in the nature of a park than OF q
wilderness The principles Of forestry
are the same here ais In Germany, put,
owing to the denser population cheap
err labor and higher value of products.
the profits Of forestry there are much
greater than could be expected mere
for time. However, they would pc
fair here, and prove from the start the
mother Of wages The sun, air anu
rainfall great factors In forest grown
--are ready to go into partnership with
our state In the forestry business. the
state to furnish its sandy soil as eapl-5
tai, and receive all the dividends
Proposed National ParL--VandaIism.
4 year ago last August visited Cas-
Lake and found. to my surprise ana
delight, on Its south shore, such an
ideal pine forest as, with the remarka-
bly, clean and sandy beach, formed enc
! Of the most beautiful spots for a health
and summer resort that could be inn
agined. gave to the press some ac-
count OF 1t at the time. Later joint
committee of the state medical socie-
Ties made a visit there, and through
the influence of a committee Of Wo-
mans clubs the Legislature memorial
ICED the president to postpone for two
years the sale Of the land. SO that the
State OF Minnesota might, II IT should
then deem 1t expedient, buy the same
for park.
y Judge of my surprise and ind1gna-
ton, then, to find. as did, on Visiting
the same spot again in the early part
OF July, 1899, that dozen or more
acres of this beautiful forest We're lum +
bered and cut over the preceding VIM
ter. on the fraudulent pretense Of its
being dead and down timber. The
TOPS and branches OF the trees--sla ssh
inrs as they are called-are now lying
there. endangering the rest Of the for
est In the event OF dry weather. Not
withstanding the terrible injury and
disbursement the forest Is not ruined
for park. But In May. 1899, fires
were set on the eastern, side, the traces
Of which cover quite an area. and We're
set for the purpose, as is generally be-,
lieyed, Of making pretext for another
contract the coming winter to lumber
1t as dead -and- down timber.
This sad and wicked despoilment OF
one Of the most beautiful pieces OF.
scenery Minnesota possesses was per-
petrated under the fraudulent system
of numbering "dead-and- down timher,
a system which offers a premium for
firing the forest, and which was cum IN
nfngly devised to enable rascals TO Cd
tain standing pine at q price far peloW
it's value. The government at Wash
ington Is directly responsible, and our
people should hold their senator's ana
representatives In congress accounta-
BILE and responsible that nothing OF the
kind occurs again, for they are the ON :
GERS elected to conduct the affairs OF
Minnesota with the executive depart
ments at washington and with con-
gress. Il. &.
some Reasons for the Park
II the park be acquired it will be
managed on forestry principles. The
mature pine will be. cut and honestly
accounted for. OF course, some groves
Of the handsomest pine on lake shores
viii be preserved The younger growth
Of forest will be protected; bare spots
will be planted; a substantial yield
and revenue will be maintained; yet,
in fifty years, the forest in the park
will be more valuable. and the park it
self more beautiful than at present.
r. here and there are tracts of good
AGRICULTURAL land, they will be culti-
waited. The establishment Of the park
| will give a wonderful impulse to for
estry and prove a boon to the North
west that few now can realize. We
have not in Minnesota, the White
Mountains nor the Catskills but we
have as beautiful pine forests, and as
beautiful clear lakes in their midst, as
can anywhere be found; and future
generations will reproacfi us il we al
low all of such scenery to be forever