Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-05-09
THURSDAY. MAY .. 1907.
Entered at the Lewiston Postoffice
,ns second class matter.
rHE rlMRER SUPPLY.

Every person in the United States IL
using over six times as much wood as
he would use IL he were in Europe.
every year between three and four
times more wood than all the forests
of the United States grow In the
meantime. The average acre Of forest
lays up q store of only 10 cubic feet
annually, whereas 1t ought to be lay
ing ND at least 40 cubic feet in order
to furnish the products taken out Of 1t.
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 important authorities.
A study of the circular must lead d.
rectly to the conclusion that the rate
at which forest products in the United
States have been ana are being con-
sumed Is far too lavish, and that only
one result can follow unless 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 timber fam
zine.
This country is today in the same
position with regard to forest re-
sources as was Germany $50 years ago
During this period of $50 years sucn
German states as Saxony and Prussia,
particularly the latter. have applied a
policy Of government control and reg
ulation which has immensely increas-
led the productivity of their forests
The same policy will achieve even bet
ter results in the United States, be-
cause we have the advantage of all the
lessons which Europe has learned and
paid for in the course of a century of
rtheory and practice.
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 in
~crease in lumber cut in the same per-
Tod.
Two areas supplying timber have al
ready reached and passed their maxi
Estates in 1870 and the Lake states in
1890 Today 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 ascendancy. The
state of Washington. within a few
years, has come to. the front and now
ranks first of all individual states in
volume OF cut. Idaho has the material
for close second.
At present but one-fifth of the total
forest area Of the United States is en-
'braced in national forests. The re-
manning four fifths have already pass
led or are most likely to pass. into pri-
waite hands. The average age Of the
: trees feiled for lumber this year is not
less than $50 years. In other words.
II he is to secure a second crop Of
trees OF the same size, the Iumberman
s4or private forest owner must wait, say,
at least 100 years for the second crop
to grow.
AS rule. such longtime invest
ments as this waiting would involve
do not commend themselves to bust
ness men who are accustomed to
quick returns But the states and ma
tion can look much farther ahead The
larger, then, the area OF national and
state control over woodlands. the
greater is the likelihood that the for
ests Of the country Will be kept perma-
tly productive.