The sea coast echo., 1907-05-04
THE TIMBER SUPPLY.
Three Times as Much Timber Used Each Year
as the Forest Grows.

Every person in the United States II
using over six times as much wood as nj
would if he were in Europe. The coun-
try, as a whole, consumes every year
between three and four times more wood
than all of the forests of the United
States grow in the meantime. The
average acre of forest lays up store Of
only 10 cubic feet annually, whereas il
ought to be laying up at least 80 cubic
feet, in order to furnish the products
taken out of it. Since 1880 more than
100000, 900, ,00Oft. of timber have been cut
for lumber alone, including $4,000, ,OOO,-
600 feet of coniferous timber in excess
of the total coniferous stumpage esti-
mate of the census in 1880.
These are some of the remarkable
statements made in circu.ar 81 of the
forest service, which deals with the tim
ber supply of the United States and re-
views the stumpage estimates made by
all the important authorities. 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 being consumed is far to lavish,
and that only one result can follow, un-
less steps are promptly taken to prevent
waste In use and to increase the growth
rate of every acre of forest in the United
States. This result is a timber famine.
This country is to-day in the same po-
sition with regard to forest resources as
was Germany $50 years ago. During
this period of $50 years such German
States as Saxony and Prussia, particu-
larly the latter, have applied policy OF
government control and reg ulation
which has immensely increased the pro-
ductivity of their forests The same
policy will 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 century of theory and prac :
tice.
Lest it might be assumed that the
rapid and gaining depletion of Ameri-
can forest resources is sufficiently ac-
counted for by the increase Of popula-
ton, it is pointed out in the circular that
the increase in population 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 pro-
duction the Northeastern States in
1870 and the Lake States in 1890. To-
day the Southern States, which cut yell
low pine amounting to one-third the
total annual lumber cut in the country,
are undoubtedly near their maximum.
The Pacific States will soon take the
ascendancy. The State of Washington
within a few years has come to the front
and low ranks first of all individual
States in volume of cut.
At present but one-fifth of the total
forest area of the United States is en-
braced in national forests. The rem aim
ing -fifths have already passed or
ART most likely to pass into private
hands. The average age Of the trees
feiled for lumber this year is not less
than $50 years. In other words, if he is
to secure second crop of trees of the
same size, the lumberman or private
forest owner must wait, say, at least,
one hundred years for the second crop
to grow. AS rule, snch longtime in
Yestments as this waiting would involve
do not commend themselves to business
men who are accustomed to quick re-
turns. But the States and the Nation
Gan look much farther ahead. The lar
ger, then, the area of National and
State control over woodlands, the
greater is the likelihood that the forests
of the country will be kept permanently
productive.