Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-06-11
The Timber Supply.
THREE TIMES AS MUCH TIMBER USED
EACH YEAR AS THE FOREST GROWS.

THREE TIMES AS MUCh liMDEh oSHb
EACH YEAR AS THE FOREST GROWS.
Every person in the United States is
using over six times as much wood as
he would use If he we're in Europe.
The country as a whole consumes every
year between three and four times more
wood than all of the forests of the Unit.
ed States grow in the meantime. The
average acre of forest lays upa store OF
only 10 cubic feet annually, whereas II
ought to be laying up at least 80 cubic
| feet in order to furnish the products
taken ont of It. Since 1880 more thar
| zoo, OOO, 600, 600 feet of timber have been
cut for lumber alone, ipcluding S0,0Oc,'
OOO, 900 feet of coniferous timber in ex'
cess 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 ano
reviews 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 II
far too lavish, and that only one result
can follow unless steps are promptly
taken to prevent waste in use and to in
crease the growth rate OF every acre o
forest in the United States. This result
| is a timber famine. This country is to
day in the same position with regard T.
forest resources as was Germany l5(
years ago. During this period of l5l
years such German States as Saxony anc
Prussia, particularly the latter, have ap
piled policy of government control ant
regulation which has immensely increas
ed the productivity of their forests
The same policy will achieve even bet
ter results in the United States, because
we have the advantage of all the lessons
which Europe has learned and paid TO
in the course of century Of theory ant
practice.
Lest it might be assumed that tht
rapid and gaining depletion of American
forest resources Is sufficiently accounted
for by the increase of population, 1t i
pointed out in the circular that the in
crease in population since 1880 is barrel,
more than half the increase in lumbe
cut in the same period. Two areas sup
plying timber have already reached ant
passed their maximum production-th
Northeastern States in 1870 and the LAX
States in 1890. To-day the Southern
States, which cut yellow pine amounting
to one-third the total annual lumber Gu
of the country, are undoubtedly nea
their maximum. The Pacific State
will soon take the ascendency. TIL
State of Washington within a few year
has come to the front and now rank
first of all individual States in volum
of cut.
At present but one-fifth of the tota
forest area of the United States Is en-
braced in National Forests. The re
naming four-tifths have already passe,
or are most likely to pass into privat
hands. The average age of the tree
felled for lumber this year is not les
than $50 years. In other words, If he i
to secure second crop of trees of tn
same size, the lumberman or privat
forest owner must wait, say, at least on
hundred years for the second crop t
grow. AS rule, such longtime invest
ments as this waiting would involve d.
not commend themselves to bushes
men who are accustomed to quick re
turns. But the States and the Natiol
can look much farther ahead. The larg
or, then, the area of National and Stat
control over woodlands, the greater !
the likelihood that the forests of tn
country will be kept permanently pro
6ncfiva