Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-02

Skinned each year, and with less than
hundred million acres which may be con-
sidered as reasonably possible of settle
ment it can be but very short time at
the present rate of segregation before this
has disappeared and the area which Con-
gress proposed to improve for the nome
builders will have been included within the
boundaries of great pastures producing not
a thousandth part of their possible annual
contribution to the wealth and prosperity
of the country.
Timber Supply Discussed.
The outlook of the timber supply in The
United States was presented in a paper by
Professor B. E. Fernow. This paper re-
viewed, upon the basis of the last census
and of other statistics, the consumption of
wood products in the United States, and
the proba bilities of meeting the same from
the virgin supplies still on hand
Contrary to expectations, he said, the
wood consumption of the leading industrial
nations has, in spite of substitutions. con-
stantly Increased during the last forty
years, and that greatly in excess of the IN
crease in population as a result of greater
Industrial activity and higher civilization.
The increase in per capita consumption
in Great Britain being by 5 per cent an
nually in the average; for Germany ana
France, 10 per cent, and for the United
States the apparent Increase indicated by
census statistics is above this last figure.
United States Is placed at round 5000 0oo
600 cubic feet, Of which over 1000, 100000 is
log-size material, the important part need
ed for the industries.
portance of the different parts of this con-
sumption in which the conifers are shown
to furnish three-quarters Of the log-size ma
terial the question Of supply is discussed.
1t is shown that Canada, the only country
from which such supplies can be imported,
cannot be relied upon for any length OF
time.
Increase Improbable.
A probability calculation of the present
stand of virgin timber in the United States,
ready to supply the demand for lumber, al
though admittedly on slender basis, brings
out the improbability, II not impossibility,
of meeting the increasing demand for an
other thirty years under present methods
of utilization. Even if the entire forest
area of 500, 600, 600 acres were supposed still
fully stocked with the average stand per
acre, as reported by the census in the hold
ings of lumbermen-an absurd proposition
the stock on hand would be exhausted
within that period.
The possibilities of securing the require
ments from the reproduction in the natural
forest are discussed on the basis of Euro
pean experiences, and with proper refer
ence to the damaging forest fires. 1t is
shown that even under good forestry prac-
tice the present increasing demand could
from the present area be supplied only for
a limited time. Hence the efforts to secure
such forest management and greater econ
omy in the use of timber, are not too early,
but rather too late, and the dalying with
the problem by the legislatures fatal.
The Irrigation Problem.
The sociological aspects of the irrigation
problem was presented by Mr.. G. E.
Mitchell. He said: The reclamation of arid
America through government construction
Of irrigation works will furnish for years to
come an effective outlet for the Industrious
surplus population of our great cities. The
irrigation sections of the west present al
most ideal rural conditions. The tendency
Is, where water is used for farming, to sub
divide land into small individual holdings,
which gives to community a prosperity
and stability not found in larger farming
districts nor in cities. This is not new
idea But while this is being done, the
people of the entire United States will be-
come so educated on irrigation matters and
irrigation methods that there will be a
gradual spreading eastward of the irriga-
ton idea, which will eventually result in
the subdivision of great numbers of large
eastern and southern farms and plantations
which are now farmed without thought of
artificial water supply, into smaller irr.-
gated farms. Never season goes by even
in the best-watered districts of the rain belt
that there is not some period Of plant
growth where the judicious application of
water would very greatly increase the yield,
and in some years double and treble it. 1t