New-York tribune., 1901-08-10
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
RIPE TREE LUMBERING.
a PROTEST AGAINST A SCHEME OF FOREST
DISSERTATION"


DISSERTATION"
To the Editor of The Tribune;
Sir; In your Albany dispatch Of July 20 mention
is made of the fact that the legislature is to be
asked to favor amendment to the constitution
permitting tho cutting of ripe trees on State
lands IN the Adirondacks. The article states that
without the slightest harm to forest. but. on
the contrary, with benefit to IT. the ripe trees
can be taken out and sold. 1t is proposed TO sell
the privilege" Of taking the timber the dreaded
lumber companies" the ripe trees to be selected
under the supervision OF foresters to be employed
by the State. AS camp owner. having a
mer home in the Adirondack forest. built near
State lands and in reliance upon the provisions
the constitution of the State protecting the public
forests from desecration by the woodmans axe.
write ID protest against the proposed scheme, and
to outline the objections IL.
Lumbermen tell that forest fires can be read
lily extingushed in the natural untouched woods.
but cannot be controlled where the land has been
numbered over partially entirely The dry
branches and tree tops which have been Topped of
burn like tinder. and. in high wind the fire dur
ing a dry season, will spread through numbered
woods fast human being can run. If the
spruce and pine trees TO be numbered out Of
the State forests-and it Is these the lumbermen
covet-the dry branches and tree tops will be
fire menace for many years
The forests will cease to have their natural char
acterstics Of deep shade. rich moss. moisture and
fertility of soil If the ripe trees removed. for
1t is from the natural decay of the branches fallen
| timber and leaves that the forests enriched
| and the moisture protected from the sun in the
! deep shade CHASTITY illustration Of the great
| damage that can be done by this accursed ripe
| tree numbering be the centre island
| of Lake Placid.
| Washington forester advised the removal OF
| the ripe trees. The famous island now has un-
slightly stumps standing upon 1t seven feet high
for the very deep when the lumbermen
came; It has ugly sluiceways running to the lake
shore, where the logs drawn down, and
majestic trees have been feed into the lake. where
their tops still lie. I asked one of the lumbermen
why the branches were not taken the ice and
| burned but ne said that too much of a
chore' I asked him to define ripe tree. and
was told it was a tree that would make good
| beams and boards.
| The article quoted further says that the ripe
trees are to be branded and marked with the State
initials. To those familiar with the ways Of
| Adirondack Iumbermen this safeguard is a line
| with some of Mark TwainS remarks II can GER
| tanly be seriously taken. If there is 10 be
! any branding il should be on the forehead of
the originator of this ingenious scheme of forest
| deseCratiOn.
| The lovers of what IS left of the Adirondack
forests must rally to support the constitutional
| provision which stays the hand Of the ripe tree
idiot. Otherwise the springs and streams will dry
| up, the ground will parCh and the heat of the
| Hudson River Valley will spread to the famous
| North Woods. FREDERICk ; WAIT
Camp Agawam. Lake Placid, July 80. 1901