Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-01-06
York has LONE been engaged in an ef.


fort to control the Adirondack region
and the sources of the Hudson. OF
some 100000 acres Of forest land in
that part of the Empire State more
than one-third now belongs to the peo-
pie and Is subject to control more or
less efficient. Pennsylvania and other
states are moving In the same direc-
ton.
Meantime the efforts of few indi-
viduals have been productive Of q vast
amount Of good. Biltlnore wood, near
Asheville, N. c., is an object lesson in
true forestry, showing what may be
done by property owners along the
Blue Ridge mountains. Managed by
private capital there are several similar
illustrations of wise forest economy in
various parts Of New York outside Of
the Adirondacks already mentioned.
In fact, the situation offers to men Of
wealth an opportunity for philanthropy
ic investment second to none. The man
who POUNDS forest will be honored In
days to come beyond the fame Of him
who POUNDS college. Colleges and uni
versities we have in plenty and shall
have as the popular need demands, but
endowments for forest maintenance
are few. In the northwest forests have
made multimillionaires Of many lum-
humanity greater service than by re-
storing, at least In some degree, for fu-
ture generations those conditions which
have proved so benefcent in this?
We need schools Of forestry. There
should be at least one for each Of these
reserves, to study it, to plan for 1t, to
control its use. All experience proves,
and no one doubts, that once set in or
der the forest will pay for its own care.
The trouble today is the absolute lack
of responsibility and intelligent control.
The people themselves are indeed be-
ginning to be informed as to the needs
Of the situation, but the feasible method
Of dealing with the problem doubtless
transcends the experience Of many Of
our legislators.
Two schools of forestry we already
have. established within the last three
years. One, in connection with Cornell
university at Ithaca, N. Y, has the
honor of being the first school Of the |
sort in this country. The other, en-
dowed by the munificence Of our pres.
ent commissioner of forestry, Mr.. Pin.
chot, and members of his family, is at
Yale. These are beginnings. They
should be duplicated by every univer.
sity in the land. 1t should be said that
the agricultural colleges Of the country |
are already active in the matter. Some
of them have been for years giving lee
ture courses on the general subject OF
forestry, forest rearing and forest eco
Monies. Most of these institutions,
however, are concerned chiefly with
those phases Of the problem presented
by the immediate locality where the
college happens to be established. This
is all right of course, but 1t will one
day be reckoped curious fact that we
as people have given more effort and
to the planting Of trees in in.
hospitable soils, where by nature they
do not and cannot grow, than to the
care Of those which occupy localities
by nature assigned to the production
of arboreous vegetation and to little or
nothing else.
But this very fact suggests that the
problem shows still another solution.
1t is an encouraging sign of the times
that already great manufacturing con-
Germs and establishments using guam
titles of lumber of certain special sorts
are beginning to show alarm as they
discover that the supply Of the partic-
ular kind of wood demanded is not in
eXhaustible, but quite the reverse. For
instance. men may buy county or two
Of standing oak in Arkansas or in
Missouri. By clearing this
Of course 1t will furnish supply Of
pax lumber for limited number Of
years and then nothing. BY the ra-
donal methods of forestry n much
smaller area of woodland would meet
The demand and be perennial. The in
.elligent forester will elaborate work
ng plan by which the supply will be
furnished year after year and yet re.
main better source OF supply than. at
he outset because furnishing better
luality Of timber. Once the cause Of
'orestry in this country receives the
help, the interested help. Of the great
lumber and wood corporations Of the
country reformation in the care of our
orest resources will not tarry long.
Copyright. 1902. by Lewis D. Sarnpson.l