Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-22

which was sold to the tanneries. the
wood being left to rot on the ground.
Today such logs are being hauled to
the mills for conversion into lumber
It is appalling to think of the extent
and magnitude of this ruthless waste
before the demands of modern COM
merce forever put an end to it. Our
northern forests are full of moss grown
logs. in various stages of decay, that
will. for years to come, be monuments
to methods of cutting that were as
foolishly prodigal as they We're short :
sighted.
Formerly the operator passed FIR
tree by with contemptuous indiffer-
ence; today it is cut and sawed, and
goes to market with his spruce output
commanding the same price. Indeed it
would require something of an expert
To tell the difference when once the fir
ia converted into lumber, and the task
il one utterly beyond the capacity of
the average consumer. He is neces-
sarily Jones'" and must be content to
"pay the freight" Most dealers ex-
pect certain amount of this mixture,
and offer no objection, so long as the
percentage of fir is not unreasonably
large. In fact for many of the pur-
poses of building fir is practically as
good as spruce, so that little if any
harm results from it's use. The very
fact, however, that it is, being used at
all emphasizes the growing extent to
which modern demands are trenching
upon our forest resources.
Two years ago the writer, ranging
piece Of northern forest, came upon a
settlers clearing upon which was
some of the most beautiful hard wood
logs he had ever seen, all cut, piled
and ready for burning. Today within
less than half mile of that clearing a
mill has been erected which is convert
ing lust such logs into veneer for the
New York market. Heretofore our
hard wood has been of small considera-
/ ton in the industrial economy OF
Maine; but there are many who be-
/ lieye that in the years to come, it is
destined to play an important part in
the material prosperity of our State.
/ Already the great railroads of the
country are seriously considering the
use of beech, birch and maple for rail-
road ties. The New York Central is
finding it more and more difficult to
get long leaf pine ties from Georgia.
and has experts examining the hard
woods of the Adirondack region with
view to utilizing them as a source OF
supply for ties. The unseasoned long
leaf pine ties used by this railroad last
but five years. The Great Eastern
railroad of France has succeeded IN
making beech ties last thirty-five years
by thoroughly seasoning them and I'M
ORIGINATING them with tar oils Tx
periments along the same line are now
being conducted by the United States
Bureau of Forestry, and number OF
leading railroads of the country. Not
only the New York Central, but also
number of the other great railroads OF
our country are prospecting the wood
lands along their lines, with view tc
utilizing them as a future source OF
timber supply, under a strict anc
scientific application of modern for
estry rules. All this holds out hope fol
the future; but it only serves at the
present time to emphasize the fact thai
forest growth in this country is mo-
keeping pace with timber consumption
The prosperity of Maine rests largely
upon it's wealth of forest resources. /
is therefore of the greatest Importance
to our State that these resources shoult
be carefully and intelligently con
served.