Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-06
FORESTRY REPORT
Submitted by Commits
sioner Ring to Governor.
Protection Of the Forests From
7 Fire, the Chief Topic
Report Is Valuable to All Owners
OF Maine Timberlands.

Governor Cobb as required by the act
Os 1891, chapter 100, which created
forest commission. The report is the
third to come from Commissioner Ring
and it contains much information of
great value TO persons interested in
forestry and the development Of the
lumber business in the State.
In his introduction Commissioner
Ring says:
In submitting this my third report
as Forest Commissioner OF the State Of
Maine which is really the sixth in the
series of Forestry Reports of this
State, | wish to call attention to the
fact that il has been my purpose and
eTldeavor to touch upon and discuss
such subjects as will be of practical
benefit to the forestry interests Of this
State.
The report of 1902 was devoted large
ly to our river systems in relation to the
estimated stand of spruce. and what
could be reasonably expected in the
future. by judicious management of me
forests.
From observations made since 1902.
having kept very careful watch of
numbering operations in all sections Of
the state, l am of the opinion that my
estimates made in 1902 wcr" fully war
rantcd by tn" facts; and it gives me
pleasure to add that my rcconmcndl-
items as to careful and Intelligent cut
ting have been. in the main, adopted.
There is nothing diScuverablc from
present indications to lead me to he
lieve that our forests are being de-
VaSt1tcd. or that in a comparatively
few years Maine will becnmr a barren
waste. ON the contrary, however. tn.
owners of large tracts of timbcrlanI
are becoming more and more careful in
their numbering operations and seem
to be conducting these operations with
reference to the present supply AMI
future growth. Larg" sums of money
have been expended by the "Hncr.; Of
wild lands in the study of the proper
management of thes,. holdings SO as to
guarantee a perpetual supply of mnl-
her.
a cnmmcndablc practice adopted by
the timberland OWNERS is Of having in
serted i'm their permits for cutting lun-
Der Il provision that no trees mraSur
ing less than twelve to fourteen inches
on the stump shall be cut. Thus all
the trees under this limit are given
more light and space to grow and de-
velOp. and by the law of Nature will in
Il few wears take the place Of the trees
cut and be ready for another cutting.
This is the secret of the future supply
Of timber in this state. and | believe
il is being recognized and lived up t.
to Il greater extent each year.
Another feature of saving in the
inf Of t.,tn
and distinct from the selection of trees
of suitable dimensions, is the mcthol Of
cutting.
In my first report | trKl to make it
plain and point out the great waste
which prevailed in the leaving of high
Stumps from three to six feet. contain-
ing much of the best timber in the tree.
Such waSteful cutting has. in a great
measure. been stopped. The SAVING
that is now made over the old way *
partly due to the cutting being don"
before the fall Of the deep SHOWS ri
winter; but more particularly to saw
ing instead of chopping down tn" trees.
The same force of men with an Quilt
of saws can accomplish much mor".
both in economy and the number Of
trees fclled, than when axes were
used.
The report Of 1904 was devoted large
" 10 the forest fire question. the gr'a
loss to the State from forest fires dur
ing the dry year of 1909. and to til"
study and bcttermcnt Of the forestry
system 50 admirably started.
INDUCING tn" hope that the previous
reports issued under my supervision
have contributed somewhat towards
awakening an interest in the Judici"Gi
management of our great forest
wealth. l have strivcn to make this.
my third report. sufficiently interesting
10 the end that it will lead to still
greater reform in that direction.
The next l. pages are devoted I"
descriptions of the following trees ana
the places where they are found;
White pine. pitch pine. Norway or req
pine. spruce. red spruce. black spruce.
whit, cedar. balsam fir. heml"ck, white
sprucc. tamarack. white poplar.
password. white birch, yellow Eirch.
black birch. gray birch. beech. white
elm. rock maple. red maple. white ash
black ash and red oak.
The extremely important subject of
report.
70 remedy and lessen the evil pc
comes the duty of not only the state
Forest Department, but every m
dividual with the welfare of the state
at heart should do all within his power
TO promote the cause of forest
preservation and aid in educating the
public. who often are thoughtleSs. as
to what Our forests mean to the state.
If 1t is fishing party. Il picnic gather
ing or 4 few Strollers through the
woods. they should be made to realize
that too much caution cannot be exec
cised by them i'll Tefraining from care
lessly buildings fires throwing away
lighted matches, stubs of cigars. etc.
The danger from damage to forests
by fire where numbering is carried on
arises largely from the fact that the
tops Of the trees and large limbs which
are left on the ground dry rapidly and
give fuel for any running fire to catch
in.
Woo fires are seldom caused b,
natural forces. although there is tn,