The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1901-08-23
F|A y / )! DIN.
81 y TIERS ot INfEREs T s III
S'7I h AoRlc tyETURIsTs. 3ss q
s j! e. up-to- DATE Hiats h About cui.-
Il: s ~ u the Son ma Yi.lds
i = Tlh'ersof-- tIortloult yit,eaitarss a.d
IS. Florionltnrs. M
.s.v. the Forest...

ssvs Tire Forests. rs s
The preservation 81 the forests has
become EGG g live question with the
&. American public. Everyone that stud
aes the question at all must be con-
vinced that something should be done
and done at once. Forests are az slow.
growth, and an area denuded cannot
pe reforested In a generation. There
are few big trees that are not older
IMAM the men around then. Careful
estimates on the growth Of the spruce
snows mat the trees, now having di-
s-1eter OF II inches cannot be replaced
s.ny Trees OF the same size Ia less than
7a 70 years. It takes q spruce SEED. Ing
:. years TO attain q diameter Of 8
=. inches en- at breast high from the ground:
;lo gain the next inch in diameter re-
B q ''lll ~ years. The next inch Of
+ srowth is made in IA years; so that
!. N % years It has attained = diameter
81 only i've inches. The diameter Of a
loot and half will be reached when
me tree ds 164 years OF age. We look
upon 2 young forest Of spruce without
I s5 : Its value. We see trees s. g.,
81 i " 9 inches in diameter >Withoutssus-
'pe''cstllng that they represent decades of
sro l'pT They are cut down ruthlessly
a 81, sometimes set on fire for pastime.
YET the S-tnch trees are more. than 80
years old, and more valuable because
~ age. A tree that is II inches in di-
d ameter makes another inch in 6 years.
. MS fact indicates that the larger the
tree the more rapidly does it increase
IN diameter. The time OF waiting is
while the tree Is small.
These small but old tress will, in q
Few decades, be very valuable for. lum-
her, Ut preserved. Vet how often arc
tney sacrificed without thought The
DEG trees fit for lumber are cut down
!, ana trimmed. The branches are left
ON une ground where they fall and in
2 lev years become as dry as kindling
wood. They are kindling wood spread
4 out over hundreds OF square miles of
sso-called young growth. The day Is
sure to come when the fire gets start
s. IN = this material and when the wind Is
IN q mood to work mischief. Then the
tinys nre becomes "a demon of fame,
rushing through the slender forests
and deXouring as It goes. Even green
wood WILL burn when the heat around
It is dntense. We all know the stories
OF the recent great fires in the west
mat have had their origin In the rub
Dish left by the companies that had ex-
ported the forests and then left them
= pubic menace. The record Of loss
OF property and life is long. Whole
Vlila8es have been obliterated, miles
OF railroads destroyed, trains caught in
the fiery vortex and abandoned, herds
OF cattle and focks Of sheep smothered.
All this has occurred because men or
! companies have been given free hand
to conduct their operations with the
sole idea OF profit to themselves, and
with no idea Of the profit or even
safety OF others.
There ds only one solution to the
problem. The states must secure as
much Of the land now In forests as
possible. In some cases this can be
done without expense. In other ap-
preparations should he made for the
purchase Of forest areas. New York
has already taken the lead in the mat
rter and ds showing what can be done.
by an act Of the legislature the state
mas entered on a system Of forest pres
seryation. In the Adirondack region
the forest preserve amounts to 1885,
4&7 .acres, and in the Catskdll region
4