Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-11-06

How to preserve our forests and increase |
their area and value Is one of the most |
important problems presented not only to |
the people OF Maine, but also the inhabi-
tants OF every other state OF the union.
That section OF North America now
known as the United States was, at the
time Of the discovery OF the western con-
tinent, one OF the best wooded sections
of the world. The whole of the New
England, middle and southern states was
one dense forest OF pine, fir, oak, hickory,
hemlock, poplar, maple, cyprus, spruce,
cedar, walnut, birch, chestnut, beech and
sycamore. When the early settlers came
they had these forests to contend with.
Clearings had to be made, and by arduous
work the woodlands were transformed
into fertile fields where corn and grain
could be raised for mans subsistence. 1t
was but natural that those sturdy
pioneers should learn to look upon the
trees Of the forest as enemies to be sub.
dued and gotten rid Of.
From the earliest days lumber hss been
one Of the chief articles OF commerce In
this country. We export enormous
quantities of lumber to Europe, tine West
Indies and South America. with the ex-
ception OF Germany, Sweden and Norway
the Daubiau PROVINCES and Austria Hun
gary, the countries OF Europe are depend
ent on the rest of the world for their
supply OF lumber. The foreign demand
for lumber to-day Is greater than ever be-
fore. In the meantime our own country
has becn advancing In population and
in all material ways with such rapid
strides that the supply of lumber from
our forests is now scarcely equal to our
own demands.
The total forest area OF the United
States as represented by the forestry
division OF the agricultural department.
exclusive of Alaska, ia less than SOC, 900 900
acres. A large part OF this hardly deserves
the name OF forest because 1t consists
mainly OF waste brush lands and tracts
that are very thiniy stocked with trees.
Yet the forestry bureau says that an area
of more than 400, 900 600 acres OF well tim
bered forest land is required to supply the
demands Of our own country for lumber.
No reliable statistics are at hand from
which to estimate the available amount
of standing timber in the United States,
but one of the foremost authorities In the
forestry bureau has made an approx
mate calculation and he has come to the
conclusion that the amount OF marketable
standing timber In the whole country at
the present time is 2 800 600, 600, 900 feet.
The annual lumber cut of the whole
country can be given quite accurately. 1t
aytn mt ba inns m,
600 feet.
From these figures we can readily com.
pute that in fitty-seven years the whole
forest area of the United States will be
cut over at the present annual rate of cut
ting. We have come TO point where in
creased drains means a squaudering OF
capital, and where regard to the husband
ing and careful management OF our for
ests is required for the purpose merely OF
furnishing raw material for our own con-
sumption. II we inquire into the supply
OF certain kinds of timber we will be
amszed to find out how the best and most
useful trees of our forests are being
thinned out and even threatened with
entire extinction.
A hundred years ago Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, New York aud
Pennsylvania could boast Of vast forests
of white pine. West OF the lakes, Michi- |
gan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, as late as
fifty years ago, were covered with forests !
and the predominating tree was the white !
pine Now it is estimated that all the
available white pine In all these states
would not supply the demand for the lum- |
Der in this country alone Tor six yearn. |
The dense forests OF Washington, Oregon !
and California are fast falling before the |
Ium berman's axe, and In few years those
states will be as destitute OF lumber as |
Michigan and Minnesota are to-day. 1t |
Is plain that the danger line has been |
reached and that the reckless destruction |
of our forests must cease or that In two or
three generations our timber resources |
will be exhausted.
BRIGHTER SIDE.
Happily there is a brighter and more
hopeful side to the problem. Broad
minded and far-seeing men throughout |
the length and breadth of the land have
become alarmed at the thoughtess and |
Reckless methods pursued In numbering |
operations, and both the national govern
ment and state legislatures are beginning |
10 wake up to the necessity OF immediate
and drastic action SO far as lies In their |
mower. On the first of July last, what had
been up to that time simply the division
of forestry OF the agricultural department
was raised to the dignity of the bureau OF
forestry, having three divisions under it.
Three wears ago the whole number OF per-
sons employed in the forestry division was
aIeven. now the whole number is l25.
Three years ago the whole Appropriation
was SIS, $50; for the present year the appro-
priation is s1s5,44O.
II is now recognized that forest areas
are an important and Indispensable factor
in collecting the rainfall and regulating
LII Int m L