The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-15

IN The past. and may still be in the
future. one Of the States chief sources
Of wealth. But the future cannnt
share in this wealth unless measures
are speedily taken TO protect oue
woodlands from waste and destru,,-
tion, and 10 restore large tracts which
are now barren or which may become
SO. Timber worth millions OF doll
lars has been destroyed by fires. anil
year by year the remaining areas
are netng consumed by the spring
and autumnal confagraton, and mol
iconserted effort Is being made toI
check the destruction. Other States.
alive to the necessities of the case.
and actuated by a consciousness OF
the duty which they owe TO the future.
have appropriated large sums, and
have organized departments to save
their forests and to encourage their
people OF plant and care for new wood.
lands to provide for the needs Of
coming generations as wei as to in.
crease present wealth. California has
set apart s25oooo; Pennsylvania.
100000; New York, 100000, while
other States. realizing the danger OF
total destruction of their forests,
have vigorously taken up the work Of
saving and restoring them.
west Virginia cannot and need
not, spend so lavishiy. "A few thou.
sand dollars year by the State
sum perhaps not greater than the
remuneration of a sheriff In first
class county-will accomplish much
IL wisely and economically used. The
principal portion of the expendi-
lures by some other States has been
for the purpose of buying waste lands
and planting trees. West Virginia
need not do this, because nearly all
our lands will reforest themselves II
Protected from fire. Private own
crs will. It is believed, take up the
work on their own lands, II they are
made to see the necessity of 1t and
tie large profits which will accru to
themselves and to those who shall fol,
low them.
"rhe two salient features of State
forestry law should be, first, the
hest practical provision to prevent
tile occurrence of fires, and to ex.
tinguish them when once they gain
headway: and, second, to encourage,
advise and instruct the owners OF
land. large and small, in planting new
woodlands, and in protecting the nat
ural growth which will usually spring
up when the first growth has been de.
stroyed. These two objects tf kept
steadily in view and II wisely and
carefully encouraged and carried out,
will add millions of dollars to the
States wealth, and with the expen-
diture of only very small annual
sum by the State.
"our timber resources can be both
created and saved. Our gas. coal,
and oil can be saved and husbanded
only, not created. Our timber can te
made a perpetual source Of profit
which will never be exhausted, but
when the first harvest Of our gas, oil,
and coal has been garnered, no see.
ond harvest will ever be possible.
Thus. while the present value OF our
timber is less than the value Of the
teci In our hills, the ultimate value,
growing and reproduced from genera
ton to generation, will far surpass al,
Of our other sources of wealth. with
one exception. agriculture. But to
realize from this great storehouse
which nature has placed within our
reach, It is necessary that we shall
do our part. and do 1t now. We can.
not permit these resources to be vast.
ed. destroyed, and squandered. and
still have them.
Ito be continued to.morrow.>