Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-15
EXPERT OPINION.
Well Known Forestry Authority
Speaks Of Timber Supply.
George r. Underwood Does Not rh;,L
1t is Decreasing.

ntrlr
is at the head OF the forestry depart
mcnt of the International Paper Com
pany and recognized authority in his
line. Mr. Underwood has had many
| years of experience and has been one
of New York's most prominent Inn
! bermen In fact he has probably as
sisted in the transfer of more timber
land than any man in this section of
the country. Mr.. Underwood was re-
Gently asked regarding the present con-
dition of the forests and their future in
view of the wonderful developments of
the past few years in the paper and
pulp industries.
The question of fire protection is tbn
key note to the whole question" said
Mr.. Underwood, keep out fires and the
timber will renew itself. Where Won
have moisture and little shade a tree
will reproduce from the seed and very
quickly.
1T is impossible for you to emphasize
too strongly the dangers that exist
from fire. AS a matter of fact fire has
done and is doing more to deyastate
the forests than the axe. / think ner-
hapS we have advanced farther in this
line in New York than you have in
Maine. In late years the problem has
been handled in Il very satisfactory
manner by the appointment of fire
Wardens in every town in the forestry
bounds. When any man desires to
clear his land he must notify the fire
warden for mis- section and the fire
warden accompanies the operator to
the scene Of operations and oversees
the transaction. This mode is COM
pulSoTy and as q result our state has
had very few of those fires far reach
ing in their results, that are so often
known from land clearing operations.
Scientific forestry is being practiced
more extensively of late than ever be-
fore and particularly in New York. You
know it has been thought that timber
has no value except in being handled
and when the timberland was held by
many people it was felt necessary to
turn the holdings into money to get 4
livelihood. Now. however, the lands
are neld by few, and wealthy men
and clubs ana the state itself have all
interested themselves, not only to pro-
Iect the forests but also in transplant
have been denuded.
1T is an entirely erroneous idea that
in 10 or II years the timber will be
practically gone" continued Mr.. I'm
derWOOd. The amount of lumber con-
Sumed per capita is nothing to what it
was % or 80 years ago. The price has
forced people to eCOnomize with lumber
and this can be seen by glancing at
the large buildings in the cities today.
Iron and steel are used instead of
wood and now we find the interiors of
houses finished with sheet iron and
there can also be seen cement walls.
If the price of timber should be higher
the use of cement will doubtless become
more general. All this has led to con-
siderable economy in the use Of timber
and has tended to keep the demand up
to the supply.
Il do not think the price of paper or
of wood will go much higher" said Mr..
Underwood 1T is not unlikely that
the time will come when the publishers
will not be as particular concerning
the quality of the paper furnished
them Oh, yes. we can use most any
kind Of wood in making paper, even
hard wood, but the quality would not
he as good. You can make suIphite of
pulp out of hemlock 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
Will soon be increased by added de
mlnd. He is not of the opinion that
this will mean that many more mills
will be built in Maine, thinking it more
probable that they will be erected in
Canada where the International Paper
Co is now cutting more largely than
elsewhere.
The International is the largest paper
company in the world with 81 mills
turning out 1900 tons of paper daily.