The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14

have been enacted for the propagation ana
protection Of the forests. State forest re-
serves have beer set aside and State bu-
reaus OF forestry created. This policy OF
the State has been quickened into fruition
by the work OF the United States Bureau
Of Forestry, whose members have had the
welfare of the forests and related industries
az heart
Forestry, in its briefest definition, is the
science OF conservative numbering. Presi-
dent Roosevelt. in his message to Congress,
terms 1t "the preservation of the forests
for wise USE" More fully, 1t is the study
OF the management of the forest by which
the owner secures the greatest returns while
at the same time he protects and perpetu-
ates the younger trees in such way That
he shall always have forest from which
ne can cut lumber at certain periods OF
rotation There is cool. breezy sound
about forestry that suggests the woods
with flowers: but be II known, in It's cardl-
nal aim, there is no entry of the aesthetic
or the poetic 1t is not an apology created
for certain men TO work in the shade and
fragrant breezes OF the forest. It Is bust
ness proposition which involves more deep
thought keen foresight and physical endur-
arce than are demanded by many other
kinds of business. When the lumberman
accepts forestry. he accepts a common sense
foresightedness in regard TO his industry.
He treats his forest crop and gathers
the harvest when ripe Where formerly he
ruined and despoiled the younger trees in
the cutting of the older ones, he now pro-
tects and natures them for future lumber
ing. He sacrifices present minimum profits
on the small trees for future maximum
returns. He takes from the forest. yet he
leaves the forest standing. There is no
complete deforestation.
THE GOVERNMENTS POLICY.
The Bureau of Forestry, United States
Department Of Agriculture. has as it's pol
icy the encouragement and the protection
OF forestry and the forests, from which
policy the most gratifying and practical
results have been obtained. In circulars
issued several years ago ii offered assist
anee and advice to the lumbermen and
owners Of woodlands. advice and practical
assistance on the ground in the handling
OF their forests. Since then more requests
for aid from lumber concerns have been
received than they can respond to-requests
from the baisam forests OF Maine TO the
long-leaf continent of Texas, from the
hardwood mountains OF the Carolinas to
the red fir domain Of California and Wash
ington. The motive Of such a proposition
is to ascertain just what timber there is
on the specified tracts. what the land will
yield under a certain prescribed regime.
what the regime is and whether or not it
viii pay IN the end.
When the Bureau of Forestry undertakes
TO assist in the management of a tract of
timber the initiative move, after the con-
tracts have been agreed TO, is to dispatch
into the heart of the green woods little
band of pioneer foresters, whose tents on
a grassy mound beside a stream have the
appearance and insignifcance of coral
OF mushrooms. Sometimes there are as
many as thirty men in the party; some
times only three or four, the number vary
ing with the magnitude of the work. There
Is always an experienced forester in charge
who directs the work. The men for the
most part are young college fellows, on
whom the woods have stamped a manli-
ness beyond their years. They sleep. usu-
ally, three in a tent, and are their own
housekeepers, their own washwomen, their
own doctors One tent is set aside as the
mess tent, where all eat at a long board
table from board benches. The dishes are
all of granite ware, and there are no bread
plates A professional cook Is always in
the party. who prepares about the same
menu as is found in lumber camp. But
many times the men go away on several
day trips, Then they must do their own
cooking-boil their mush and fry their ba-
con.
When the camp has been fully established
the men turn 70 the forest They are as
signed to crews-three being the usual
number of a crew. The tally mamie who
records the statistics on blanks made for
the purpose-is boss of his crew. The garb
of the forester is much like that of the
soIdier-an army shirt. khaki trousers and
high-laced shoes Thus arrayed, with
lunches tied TO their belt in red hand
kerchiefs, they go forth in the morning
glow into the land of the great red gods.
Tha work of the forester is along two
lines-stem analysis and valuation survey
ing. The former is usually executed first,
although it makes no material difference
Stem analysis Is a study of the trunks
and boles of the trees. When possible, the
crew follows in The tangled wake of the
lumber sawycrs. fighting its way through
the abattis of broken limbs and twisted
branches. One man works at the stump,
the other two measure the bole and top
of the felled tree.
HISTORY OF A TREE.
1t is interesting to note the history of
the tree which the man at the stump is
able TO read. He ascertains with rule
the average diameter of the cut plane of
the stump and draws an average radius
from the pith to the cambium layer. Then
beginning at the pith, he counts outward
the rings shown in the wood, marking
every tenth ring and reading its measure
ment from the rule to the tallyman. Each
denotes one years growth of the tree
Thus he finds the total age of the tree, it's
rate OF growth by decades. the age and
width Of sap and its course of growth
These rings are accurate indices of a
trees history and individuality. In some
trees the rings are irregular and undulat-
ing. revealing an uneven growth; In other
trees the rings broad and uniform
showing a rapid normal growth. In sup
pressed treasures shut off from sufficient
light. or existing under unfavorable cond.-
tons. the rings are very fine and crowded
aid a nagnifying glass is used for their
enumeration. The writer has seen in the
South a loblolly pine (pinus taeda) growing
under favorable conditions, sixteen years
old. larger than tree OF like species which
has stood not many feet away for over a
hundred years under adverse circum-