New-York tribune., 1907-11-13
GENER1L w Loc4L EoRrNrRr.


The warming that the timber resources of the
United States may bc practically exhausted
within twenty years has the appearance of
being only too well founded \ grim earnest Of
lis tultllment is recognized by every purchaser
OF lumber IN the enormously increased prices
which he must pay. In fact. the cost of some
kinds al lumber whicn generation ago were
80 cheap as 70 be within easy reach of all Is
now almost prohibitiyc. The depressing state
mcut il also made that the work OF reforesta
tion has been so long delayed that it is now
impossible 10 avoid i serious timber shortage,
which will last until the delayed work of forest
restoration is pushed forward so to catch
up with the countrys needs. That statement.
which we fear Is true, affords one Of the strong
est Of arguments for now taking up and push
ing the delayed work with all possible energy.
in order that the inevitable lumber famine may
be of the shortest possible duration
The federal government has doue 50 much
for forest interests that il is all the more TO
he regretted that it did not in the last Con
gresS do more by creating the White Mountain
and Appalachian forest reserves. That project
was earnestly advocated by the administration,
and the bill for its execution was unanimously
passed by the Senate, but the House failed to
act upon it. 1t ought to be possible TO take
the matter up and enact the measure very soon
after the assembling Of the new Congress, so
as to stop at the earliest moment the injury TO
the forests for which delay affords opportunity.
We shall hope, also, TO see action on the same
lines taken in this state, naturally by the state
rather than the federal government, in the Gre
alton of a forest reserve in the Highlands OF
the Hudson. For forestry purposes that would
not of course. be comparable in value with the
proposed reserves in the White Mountains and
Appaachians, though its value would be by no
| GElayn Ia. hrrf VVyn
scenic and historic interests of the first rank.
The interesting suggestion is further made
that this city, in cooperation with the state
should also contribute its services 10 the cause
Of reforeStatiOn In the sylvan cultivation of the
lands embraced in its water gathering area.
The new Croton Lake is at last complete, and
water is pouring through the spillway of the
gigantic dam near Quaker Bridge. The borders
of that lake and Of its many atiiuents comprise
scores of miles of land which belongs to this
city and which, for the sake of protecting the
water from contamination, must not be occu-
pied for human habtatlOns or for rasturage of
cattle 1t is pointed out that If under some
| thoughtfully devised plan these vast stretches
of lake and river shore were planted with
trees and shrubs both useful and ornamental,
9 unique and artistcally attractive as well as
practically valuable result would be attained.
The forest area OF the state would be increased
by scores o. square miles, from which in time
by judiciOus cutting Of mature trees, consid-
erable revenue might be obtained, the water
, supply would be practically increased by the
decrease of evaporation, and the beauty of the
landscape in those regions would be much en-
hanced. There would thus, also, be effected
commendable reversal of and some atonement
for the barbarous and disastrous policy of cut
ting off all the trees and shrubs along the
city's watercourses which was adopted few
years ago, against which The Tribune vigor-
ously protested and which resulted In a
perceptible dminution of the Croton water
supply and in no Improvement, but rather
actual deterioration of its quality