Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-05-28

George r. Underwood, an Expert on
Forestry, Talks ON Subject.

Forestry, Talks on Subject.
George r. Underwood, Of New York,
who Is at the head OF the forestry de-
partment OF the International Paper
company, and who IL a recognized su-
thority in bis line, was in Maine last
week. Speaking of forest preservation,
Mr.. Underwood said:
"The question OF fire protection Is the
key note to the whole question. Keep
out fires and the timber win renew Itself.
Where you have moisture and q little
shade tree viii reproduce from the seed
and very quickly.
"It Ia impossible to emphasize too
strongly the dsngers that exist
from fire. As a matter OF fact fire has
done and Is doing more TO devsstate the
forests than the axe. think perhaps we
have advanced farther In this line in New
York than you have In Maine. In late
years the problem has been handled In
very satisfactory manner by the
appointment OF fire wsrdens in every
town In the forestry bounds. When any
man desires to clear his land he must
notify the fire warden for bis section and
the fire warden accompanies the operator
to the scene Of operations and oversees the
transaction. This mode Is compulsory,
and as a result our state has had very few
of those fires, far reaching In their result,
that are so often known from land clear
ing operations.
Scientific forestry Is being practiced
more extensively OF late than ever be-
- .rl. To-. t.
has been thought that timber has no
value except in being handled, and when
the timberlspd was held by many people
1t wss felt necessary to turn the holdings
into money to get a livelihood. Now,
however, the lands are held by few, and
wealthy men and clubs and the state it.
self have all interested themselves, not
only to protect the forests but also in
transplsnting trees to sections where the
forests have been denuded."
ait Is an entirely erroneous idea that
in ten or fifteen years the timber will be
practically gone. The amount OF lumber
consumed per capita Is nothing to what 1t
was twenty or thirty years ago. The
price has forced people to economic with
lumber and this can be seen by glsncing
at the large buildings in the cities to-day.
Iron and steel are used instead OF wood
and now We Hnd the interiors OF houses
finished with sheet iron end there can
also be seen cement walls. II the price OF
timber should go higher the use Of
cement will doubtless become more gen.
eral. All this has led to considerable
economy IN the use of timber and has
tended 10 keep the demand up to the
supply.
81 do not think the price of paper or
OF wood will go much higher. 1t Is not
unlikely that the time will come when
the publishers will not be as particular
concerning the quality of the paper fur
nished them. On, yes, We can use most
any kind OF wood In making paper, even
hard wood, but the quality would
not be as good. You can make suiphite
OF pulp out of hemiock or white birch
which are now being used for manila
products"
Mr.. Underwood Is OF the opinion that
while the production OF paper is well up
to the demand that the production viii
soon be increased by added demand. He
Is not OF the opinion that this viii mean
that many more mills win be built In
Maine, thinking 1t more probable that
they will erected in Canada where
the international Paper Co. Is now cut
ting more largely than elsew here.
The International is the largest paper
company In the world, with thirty-ope
mills turning out 400 tons OF paper daily.