The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-01-19
NUMBERING IN FOREST RESERVES.


Millions of Feet of Lumber Are Annually
Cut With p.c.rd IN the Future of tho
foiestS'
WASHINGTON d. C.. Jan. 16. 1905.
Federal forest reserves are now fixed
facts. 1t is a serious thing to Withdraw
from settlement. as the Government
has done. some SO. 600. 900 acres of land.
But when the character of this land is
understood. and the purposes the reser.
vations will accomplish are known. it
will be generally recognized that the
area permanently reserved will serve
the public hest under forest cover It's
topouranhv and soil nnf;t "A for auricnl-
ture. but Ii is admirably shifted to tree
growth. Wisely administered. it will
Continuously finnish an immense tim.
Der output. while its influence in con.
serving thu water snnnlv for vast do.
pendent agricultural areas will proye
of inestimable value.
Without the establishment of re-
serves. proper control of the public
forests is Impossible. The present free
use of timber is being greatly abused.
and there is practically no management
of these vast resources and no income
from them. unless the timber and land
are both sold outright and together.
After the establishment of a reserve
settlers within it's boundaries and those
living in it's neighborhood are allowed,
within definite and reasonable restric,
tions, free use of timber actually neces-
sary for their domestic needs. Tie great
change for the better however. is that
the reserve laws provide for the sale of
timber in small or large quantities to
persons both in and outside the reserve.
Thus the forests can be made self-sup-
porting, and through funds created in
this way they can be protected from
lire and be made more productive and
use1ul.
But IN making these sales the future
OF the forest IS more considered than
the money return from the timber cut.
Hence the sales are strictly guarded by
bonded contracts between the lndivld-
uals and the Government. The con-
tracts specify the amount OF timber
bought and the price to be paid, limit
the area and time OF cutting, prescribe
simple and practical regulations to
guard against fire, and cover all essen.
tlal relations between the contracting
parties pending the completion of the
contract. No trees can be cut except
those previously marked by Govern
ment official. Under such contracts
millions of board feet of lumber are
annually being cut from the reserves,
to the improvement of their condition.
1t is not the Government purpose
to maintain the reserve forests un-
touched, but to use and develop them.
Proper numbering is as necessary to a
productive forest as protection. Mature
or ripe trees should be cut not only for
the same reason that wheat or corn is,
to save and utilize the product, but also
to promote reproduction. Agricultural
crops require sowing or planting each
year. but forests. properly thipned by
cutting, reproduce themselves and fur
nish continuous crop. That this work
may be effectively accomplished there
must be protection from fires. and prop
er conditions for tree growth must be
maintained. Important among these
conditions is the demand of trees for
room aud sunlight. The Young growth
must be neither crowded nor Shaded
out. Thus, for the best results in re-
production the mature trees should be
cut. and the dead and diseased timber
should be disposed of as rapidly as pos
sihle.
LAUNDERING, however, as heretofore