The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1907-05-10
NATIONS TIMBER supply
Will Soon Be Gone at the Present
Rate.
USE MUST Be REGULATED.
Circular No. 81, Issued by the
Forest Service.

Every person in Jhe United States
Is using over six times as much wood
as he would use II he were in Europe.
The country as a whole consumes
every year between three and four
times more wood than all Of the
forests Of the United States grow 10
the meantime. The average acre OF
forest lays up store OF only 10 cubic
feet annually, whereas 1t ought to be
laying up at least 80 cubic feet In
order TO furnish the products taken
out Of it. Since 1880 more than 7OO,-
600, 900. 900 feet OF timber have been
cut for lumber alone, including SO,.
900, 600, 900 feet OF coniferous timber
In excess Of the total coniferous
Stumpage estimate Of the census in
1880.
These are some of the remarkable
statements made IN Circular 81 Of the
Forest Service, which deals with the
timber supply of the United States
and reviews the stumpage estimates
made by all the importan t au thorities.
A study Of the circular must lead
directly to the conclusion that the
rate at which forest products IN the
United States have been and are be-
ing consumed is far too lavish, and
that only one result can follow unless
steps are promptly taken to prevent
waste 10 use and to increase the
growth rate OF every acre Of forest
in the United States. This result is
timber famine. This country is
to-day In the same position with re-
gard to forest resources as was
! Germany $50 years ago. During this
, psriod of $50 years such German
states as Saxony and Prussia, par
ticularly the latter, have applied a
! policy Of government control and
F., regulation which has immensely
increased the productivity of their
forests. The same po,icyswill achieve
even better results in the United
States, because we have the advantage
Of all the lessons which Europe has
learned and paid for in the course OF
theory and practice.
Lest IL might be assumed that the
rapid and gaining depletion OF
American forest resources is sufficient
ly accounted for by the incrsase Of
! population, it is pointed out in the
circular that the increase in popula-
tion since 1880 is barely more than
half the increase in lumber cut in the
same period. Two areas supplying
timber have already reached and
passed their maximum production
the Northeastern States in 1870 and
the Lake States in 1890. To-day the
Southern States, which cut yellow
pine amounting to one third the
total annual lumber cut OF the
country, are undoubtedly near their
maximum. The Pacific States will
soon take the ascendency. The state
Of Washington within few years has
come to the front and now ranks
first of all individual states in volume
of cut.
At present but one-f1fth of the
total forest area of the United States
is embraced in National Forests. The
remaining four ffths have already
passed or are likely to pass into
private hands. The average age OF
the trees felled for lumber this year Is
not less than $50 years. In other
words, IL he is to secure second croE
of trees Of the same size, the lumber
1 man or private forest owner mus,
wait, say, at least one hundred year.
for the second crop to grow. AS q
rule. such longtime Investments a,
this waiting would involve do moi
t )mmend themselves to business mer
/, who are accustomed to quick returns
! But the states and the nation car
3 look much farther ahead Th,
+. larger, then, the area OF national anl
t state control over woodlands, tn,
q greater is the likelihood that forest
}. of the country will be kept permanent
ly productive.