The Washington times., 1902-05-27
FORESTRY DIVISION
At WORLDS FAIR
Statistics Collected by Off
cials of Exposition.
SUPPORT OF ASSOCIATIONS
Lumbermcn of the Country Preparing
fo1 Great Exhibit at St. Louis-Sta-
tistical Showing of Lumber Interests
of Urited States.

ST. LOUIS. May as.-Dr. Tarlcton H
Bean, chief of the department o
forestry of the Wcrlds Fair. addressed
the National Hardwood Lumbermen's As
sociation at a banquet at the Southern
Hotel here Saturday and presented
these important facts upon forestry:
Although the ax OF the woodrian has
been welded in the United States fol
inward of three centuries. the forestry
area Of our country. exclusive CT Alaska
and accessions of territory is still esti-
mated to comprise seven hundred millior
acres. covering over million square
miles. The merchantable timber stand
of the United States is believed to ag-
gregate one thousand three hundred and
eighty billion feet beard measure. 1t
has also been computed that the annual
cut OF merchantablc timber in the
United States is twenty-five tillicn feet
beard measure. or somewhat less than
the supposed annual increase OF such
timber.
1T does not appear to be generally
known that the annual value of our
forest products approximate 5000. GOO, 900.
thus ranking second only TO the products
OF agriculture
Large Quantity of Wood.
According TO the census CT 1900 the
farms Of the United States contained
623.OG0.OO0 acres. OF which nearly one
third is under wood. The history Of
the occupations Of farming lands in our
country begins with the utilization OF
the un.,: cstod level or undulated areas.
by the clearing CT trees at
greater elevations until the bulk CT The
present forcsted regions is limited large
ly to the mountains. Upon these noun
tain areas we are depending Today Tor
the products and the advantages TO be
derived from the forests-reGulation of
water supply, the conservation of
power from stream flow, protection from
hoods. wood, and wood products neces-
sary for the various activities Of civiliZa-
tion. 1t will occur to every one that
there is an intimate relation between the
forest and the industries connected with
mining. With agriculture and with
grazing.
Future of the West.
at IS we'll understood that upon for
sstry and irrigation depends the future
of large areas in the West.
I might say in general terms that wood
and water are two OF the most i'm
Dortart resources of civilization.
TO use an illustration nearer home,
md one which shows as clearly as any
hing can show the extent and import
ince of the forest industries. we have
lere an Association OF Lumbermen, now
,losing its fifth annual convention. with
representatives from twenty States. with
membership CT about 500. with invest
a capital of S250, 600. .000. Thus a single
association. actively engaged
n utilizing for the mcst part our hard !
woods only. operates with fund which |
S considerably mere than one-fourth CT
ne total annual value of the products |
If forest industries in the United States. |
Volume of Interests.
at is not my purpose to dwell longer |
ifOH iut stdtisti'S vi lpiS9tiL- ihCSS |
emarks are intended TO draw attention |
@ the volume of interests associated |
With the forests. 1t is highly probable
hat few people realize the cxtert and
Importance OF this subject. There are
arious ways in which the necessary
can be conveyed. and one of
he best of them undoubtedly is the
xposition which will open in 1904 at st.
.ouis.
Already the National Hardwood Luul-
er Association, the National Coopers'
association. the Southern Lumber Man
facturers' Association. the Lumber
len's Association of the South. and the
reat social organization OF the lumber
zen OF the United States have signfied
heir hearty sympathy with the eSpOsi
ion and their intention to cooperate
iost vigorously in making it great
Gccess. The circular CT the forestry
apartment will furnish details of what
he exposition hopes to assemble at st.
ouis in 1904
Knowing what our brethren have ac-
Dmplished in the three centuries which
ave gone before. and realizing the enor
ious value of the Industries in which
@ arc now enSa ged. we look forward
1nfdently TO the full realization OF the
lggesticns offered by the authorities of
he exposition. and will admit of no such
ord as fail in the vocabulary of the
imberman and his associates"