The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-10-19

Figures puDllShed by the United
States Forest Service show that only
30 per cent. Of Indiana is wooded. %
per cent OF Ohio, and 90 per cent Of
Illinois The same authority places
the wooded area of Rhode Island
about 80 per cent. Delaware 23 and
Connecticut, New Jersey Maryland
land Massachusetts each 40 or more,
while some of the States east and
south of the Ohio river contain from
60 to IS per cent forest.
The figures. however, fall far short
|of telling the whole story. Indiana
the middle state Of the three. has not
more than 100000 acres of what MS
ually Is classed as merchantable tim
.ber-less than 3 per cent. of the
states area instead Of go per cent.
according to experts who have studied
It's forest resources. The remainder
of the so--called wooded are is said
to, consist of scattered growth. val
liable principally for fuel, strips of
timber along water courses, or on
steep hillsides. or pasture land with
brush and a few trees. In the aggre-
gate probably covering 30 per cent. of
the state.
IT is evident that the region is
labout done as a producer of timber in
commercial quantities at least until
more grows. The cutting of patches
land odds and ends, with importations
from states which yet have supplies
will keep the furniture. vehicle. han
die and other factories running for a
while. but after that, what?
Although the three states are pre-
Ieminently agricultural they contain
much land which might with profit
be devoted TO timber growing. Tree
planting is receiving much attention.
ESPECIALLY In Ohio where hundreds of
wood lots have been thus started
by utilizing non-agricultural land to
the best advantage the farmers will
better themselves, and secure returns
from tracts not suited to the ordin-
larry farm crops.
considerable output of saw tim
ber, as well as fuel, posts. and poles,
can be expected indefinitely If prin-
lciples OF forestry are applied to the
growing of the wood crop. But
states in which most of the land is
/ SO valuable for agriculture is not to
be expected to grow the bulk of the
country's timber crop. The world
over, the hilly and moutainous regions
are the natural forest lands, the
smoother tracts are given over to
agriculture. Ohio. Indiana. and Iii
nois ought to expect TO draw their
Ihasda od ,lumher very laagS'I ham
other eastern states less rich in
farming land but suited in every way
ito growing timber. The Atlantic
states should always grow timber in
their steep and broken regions, for
| IL Is the natural and most profitable
crop Oh thin or stony land. In the
North Atlantic states and along the
higher mountain ranges far into the
South, cone-bearing trees are found,
and in years past the pine, spruce,
land hemlock forests were centers Of
defensive lumber operations. In a
smaller degree they are important
still. but in the Southern Appalach-
ians, where hardwood forests pre-
Ivail, the largest part of the future
supply will have to come. With
proper management and develop
ment this region can meet enormous
demands, leaving the rich lands of
agricultural districts to grow what
is most profitable for them-grain
lhay. fruits, vegetables and other
lproducts of the farm.