The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-09-06
OUR TIMBER SUPPLY.
There is Still Considerable of II Left In
the Country.
Duluth News Tribune:

Duluth News Tribune:
The forest question is always inter
esting and important to Americans. In
recent article published in the Forum
magazine. United States Chief Geo.
grapher Gannett declares that the
stand of timber amounts to 4, $50, 900, =
900. 600 feet and will last us fifty years.
John P. Brown, secretary of the In
diana Forestry association, says that
this statement is erroneous and "has
done incredible injury by increasing
the apathy or Indifference among all
citizens. and especially congress He
reviews the amount of woodland in
various states from local conditions,
and produces this summary of forest
areas:
Square
miles.
Total for United States .................570,3 800
New England, all required at home ...... 1880
Eastern Atlantic group, all required at
home Observation-Disclosures. $500
shipment to Eastern cities 1870. 900
use ............... As, 900
Pacific states, west of 1903 degrees west
longitude of the latter all for export. PIE, 400
Lske states group. ................. 1870
Central manufacturing states, good bad
and indifferent. ....-................ $4,000
He adds that "the great commercial
zones and larger manufactures will be
limited to the last two groups, or 1876,
600 square miles. If it were possible
to average the yield over so large
and varying territory. we might find
1876, 900, 600, 900 feet of available Ium-
Der, while another decade of energetic
numbering will startle this entire
nation.
Mr.. Brown has special recommen-
dation in the way of planting forests
for practical and immediate necessity |
He has made a study of the catalpa,
one of our indigenous trees, varieties
of which have also been brought in
from Asia. His tract on the catalpa !
speciosa, which is bulletin No. 1 of |
the International Society of Arbori- |
culture, is to be had from him as Sec |
rotary of that society, at Connersville, |
Ind. This is not the catalpa so we'll |
known to eastern cities, planted in
private grounds and in parks, and |
very picturesque with its
great cordaet leaves, it's beautiful |
blossoms of creamy white, spotted !
with yellow and reddish purple, and !
the following long seed pods, which .
maintain its ornamental aspect until
fall. The speciosa is great tree, so
to so feet in height, from two to seven
feet in diameter, and though native in
Indiana and Illinois, is now distribut-
ed widely in the United States. 1t has
proved hardy between ATTITUDES 80 and
IA degrees, and from 101 degrees west
to New England, and it adjusts itself
to the soils, locations and conditions
within these limits. Mr.. Brown writes.
that he has made record of some 500
,atalpa speciosa trees in Massachusetts
and southern New Hampshire, all
thrifty, healthy and of rapid growth.
1T will become one OF New Eng
and's profitable forest trees in the very
near future. " he predicts for in
stance, saw two on Cape Cod, in the
most exposed situation, which were
planted in 1898, and one of these had
in eight years attained diameter of
eight inches and a height of twenty
i've feet" Now these facts. and others
which he adduces, show that planta-
ions of catalpa speeiosa will be re-
investment He especially
recommends them "for railway ties,
or agricultural implements and furni-
ure. "
Every possible effort should be made
20 preserve, as far as practicable, the
timber now growing, and plant more
rees. The west seems at present toI
Do apathetie on the subject, displaying
ess energy and interest in tree plant
ng than some years ago.
FRANCES NEWEST FAD.