New-York tribune., 1907-01-06
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
FOREST RESTORATION.
Destruction of Trees Called Menac-
ing Commercial Prosperity.

| Sir: In your editorial in The Tribune on Satur-
day, December %. 1905, entitled killing the Goose
| you say:
Stories of the reckless destruction of American
| forests are unfortunately. common excite
| comparatively little notice"
1t is great misfortune that cannot deny the
| trUth:ulness of such statement. 1t is all too
! true As a people apparently unconcerned IN
nearly all matters pertaining to the preservation OF
our forests; and, resultant effect of such
concern. there is little being done to perpetuate
| supply OF forest products n maintenance of an
| equable flow of springs and streams.
| All this is deplorable and should be changed II
possible. Our apathy should give way to activity.
But no change need be expected until those who
should shall come to comprehension and apprecia-
ton of what is going in the line of forest de-
struction and shall also consider the disastrous
suits which must follow Indifference.
1t should be understood thoroughly by all that
are consuming our forests very much faster than
their natural increment supply, matter how
Wel or Systematically they may be treated. The
whole law and gospel of forestry in this country
can be summed up in few words 1t consists IN
proper treatment and Of existing forests and
an extensive planting Of new and the latter is
by far the most important. This may be rejected
now by forest builders but ere long at will be-
come the head of the corner"
protection and care OF present forests can do
much but not ALL and the very fact that they alone
VIII be unable to furnish a supply of lumber for
the future should prompt to quick action to pre-
serve ana protect them as far possible; but.
come what may in that line timber famine is
lnevtahle-is, IN fact being felt now
AS Will be shown. the consumption of forest
products is enormous. and that consumption
tam to increase population increases. Modern
iulhoerlns practices are quite unlike what they
score or more years ago Now the sawlog man
takes all he find that will answer his purpose
or, to accept the woodmans version "he takes
everything that will make two slabs''-a vertable
Nu'H' az IL Is not uncommon to pine log-or
poie' rather-on the skidway over four and
diameter al tha SIIC 10
simply split by the and turned over to the lath
department After the sawlog man the tie
IAi'' 'he pupWood man and the acid factory man,
| and then fire finishes the work of destruction
We have no law to stop this and il NAV be n
debatable question whether It should be prevented
IN All cases The mans mill is there. his roads are
maze, there is a demand for the entire product OF
MS woods and his interests may clearly dictate the
| course he IS pursuing. Besides should he plant
valuable species OF trees after this clean cutting
SucH course might not be Objectionable But
cannot compel him to do that. as is done in most
european countries where systematic forestry is
practised
hey'nd all this. the country must have the prod
| uctS or the forest. We cannot eat our cake and
keep 1t The amount consumed Is enormous an
amount tar beyond any conception in the public
mind, as recently obtained statistics must show
During the early part Of 1906 the Forest Service
9" 'he United States co-operated with the National
Lumber ManufaCturers' Association and got re-
turns OF the lumber cut by 1856 firms in 1905
These returns have been tabulated and can be
iouhd IN Forest Service Circular No 81 under date
OF December p. 1906. The circular IS entitled "The
Lumber Cut OF tho United States In 1895 II was
prepared by r. : Kellogg forest assistant ,nd ,s
the most complete exhibit OF the amount and kind
'' I"fh'Nr consumed which has ever been published.
tn" circular relates that the amour; 81 sawed
lumber as returned comprises - per cent OF the
actual output Of the mills Small Asts AIisr rranta
"er" not called on. and that were did not
respond The amount returned was 30 O52 ssl 600
BOARD feet II this represents bat - per cent then
na raj laf.,. - CO. 80
include lath. barrel slaves and headings shingles
! ties or anything that did not come from the saw
mill
This IS not all. The Forest Service also recent
y has issued Circulars Nos 49, a 80 and So which
give the amount OF consumed in 1905 for rail
road tics. wood pulp useI I'm the mines and dis
tlauon. There were purchased for the steam and
trolley roads sl.5C0p0 ties Putting these into
board feet at 80 feet the tic have 27i5OOo 600
feet. For wood pulp-chemicai and mechanical
there We're consumed 3I92.223 cords
a cord Of pulp wood averages 500 feet. but sup
pose put IL at 500 Then there will be 1886 900
board feet devoted 10 that industry The timber
sawed and round, used in mining represents 2422-
$4,000 board feet. But 49, $4,000 OF this was
sawed and is embodied in the returns from the
mills, this amount will he omitted. leaving how
ever 1856, 900 feet consumed there Tden there
were 67s.739 cords of wood used for dstillation.
Calling cord of this equal TO 400 board feet
have go, ZOO feet more
Adding these amounts to the output of the mills
have the astounding sum OF 4O.4Sls.0D feet.
board measure close 900 feet per capita. to
say nothing Of the used for piles and founda
tions telegraph telephone trolley line and electric
light poles, manufacture of excelsior and the like.
wood used farms and for fuel-two-thirds Of our
population use wood for that purpose. There Is
no doubt that If the used for all purposes
could be ascertained 1t would reach close on to
5000 10000 feet.
With such an enormous annual drain upon
forests, what expect of the future supply.
burden
1t by planting trees on lands which have been
have been destroyed? There is only remedy.
We must expect something from nothing. for
of thorns do not gather figs, of a bramble
bush gather they grapes" AS before stated. tree
planting is the important feature of the gos-
pei of forestry Discussions on selective cutting
and methods of natural reproduction and the like
are good. far they go; but all know
the recipe for cooking hare First get him.
There is important feature OF Forest Ser
vice Circular No ~ which must not be-
looked II gives the several species of from
which the amount of lumber cut. or the
80 O2 961 OOo there is shown to be 1888 1900
feet Of o the several I varieties Of pine; lacking only
spruce fr CEDAR o go hsmock @ cypress and few
$4,000 feet for the hard woods. and white oak pro-
duced l.21O.216.000 feet of that
and other soft woods-conifersTn standing in
our remaining virgin forests or on the cut-over
the demands of the market shown by the
M IF hw hss ecSf to see be
gone, how is natural reproduction to come about?
no valuable species growing on It, or If any shall
be found they are so scattered that natural reseed
M n "9@q %oqhy of note " 0's ABOUT any
Examination will snow that such growth as may
be found there consists mainly Of bird cherry.
scrub oak, aspen, yellow birch, soft maple. iron
At a distance the casual observer could we'll take
such, when in full leaf eor Il vigorous young for