The evening times., 1900-03-07
THE AMERICAN FORESTS
Views of Henry Gannett, of the
Geological Survey.
" oOdIand. He Says. should BE Con-
sIdered to the Lumber supply
and Effects UpoR the Climate
and Flow of Streams OriginnI
Growth of Trees i'm the Country.

In a pamphlet on THE Forests Of the
United States issued by the Geological
Survey, Henry Cannett. Chief of the Di-
vision on Forestry, says: The woodland
and forests may be considered from two
points of view-as source OF lumber sup
ply and as a physical factor with effects
upon climate erosion. and the flow OF
streams. AS a source of lumber supply, the
forest is, tc all intents and purposes, an
agricultural crop, differing from most oth-
er agricultural products in the fact that IL
requires a long time to reach maturity
generations-while other crops require
only months or. at most. few years.
The forests of the United States con-
sist in part of what is commonly called
original growth, which means simply that
the forest is composed in the main of old
trees which have. by sufferance of fire and
the ak, been permitted to reach or exceed
maturity, and in part Of young growth OF
various ages covering regions which have
been either wholly or partially cleared by
fire or the ak.
The former areas bear a mature crop,
the latter a crop in process of growth
the forest is constantly restoring itself in
all those regions where the rainfall is suf-
fieient TO encourage tree growth; and in
time, If not interfered with. these regions
will furnish a supply of lumber as large,
and presumably of the same quality. as
that available when settlement first in
vaded them. Hence the timber supply of
the country is. in a sense. a continuous
one. Timber is constantly growing to sup
ply that which is used. and in this respect
il differs from our supplies of iron ore,
coal. and other minerals. These, when ex-
hausted. will never be replaced.
The study OF the forests of this country
has been carried oil almost entirely upon
the botanical side Our forests have been
studied thoroughly and exhaustively by
botanists but the geographic and economic
sides of the question have received very
little attention, except for purely CONNER
cial or utlitarian purposes. Even such
an elementary fact as the extent of wood
land in this country we know only in a
broad. general way, except for certain
limited areas which have been mapped in
connection with topographic surveys.
"Of the amount of standing timber avail
able for our use we know almost nothing.
In view Of the agitation for the protection
Of our forests which has been going on for
al least a generation and which has
reached such intensity that it has become
with many persons almost a religion il is
strange that there should be practically no
knowledge TO serve as q basis for such a
cult
We know in a broad way that the
eastern part Of the country, extending from
the Atlantic coast 70 the praiTies is natur-
ally a forested region. owing 10 the fast
that rainfall is sufficient 10 encourage the
growth OF trees Throughout this region
the only areas not forested at present are
those which have been cleared by man. and
most of these are under some form of cult
vation
Wherever the land is left waste. for
ests reproduce themselves. Upon the prai-
ries and the plains and in the Rocky
Mountain region trees grow wherever the
climate will permit. wherever the rain
fall is sufficient for their needs and as
rainfall is greater upon the mountains
than upon the plains and in the valleys.
timber is commonly found upon the noun
tains. On the other hand. on the north
west coast. where the rainfall is ample
anG in some cases excessive. the country
is heavily forested."
The total wooded area of the country.
excluding Alaska. is 1884, i96 square
miles. or 81 per cent Of the area Of the
country. excluding Alaska.
The total land area of Maryland is $3.50
square miles. OF this there is 1850 square
miles of woodland in farms; woodland not
in farms. 1850 square miles, total Of
woodland Qf s 4pu SuUare miles or 4 nor
cent of the land area. The wooded area
of the District OF Columbia has been
measured from the maps of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey at
twelve square miles. The total woodland
Of Virginia is 23. 400 square miles.