Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-05-03
aMONT PHGNIX BRATTLEBORO, FRIDAY, MAY B. 1907.
THE TIMBER SUPPLY.
Three Times as Much Timber Used Each
Year as the Forest Crows

Every person i'm the United states Is
using over six times as much wood as he
would use if he were in Europe. The
country as a whole consumes every year
between three and four times more wood
than all Of the forests of the United States
grow in the meantime. The average acre
of forest lays up n 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 out of It,
Since 1850 more than 700, 900 900, 900 feet
of timber have been cut for lumber alone
including 80 900 900 900 feet Of conlferous
timber in excess Of the total conferous
stumpage estimate OF the census In 1880
These are some Of the remarkable state
ments made in circular 81 Of the forest
service, which deals with the timber sup
ply of the United states and reviews the
stumpage estimates made by all the i'm
portaut authorities. A study of the cir
cular must lead directly to the conclusion
that the rate at which forest products in
the United States have been and are being
consumed 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 a timber famine. This country
is today In the same position with regard
to forest resources as was Germany $50
years ago. During this period Of $50 years
such German states as SaXony and Prus-
STA, particularly the latter, have applied
a policy Of government control and regu-
lation which has immensely increased the
productivity of their forests. The same
policy will achieve even better results in
The United States because we have the
advantage of all the lessons which Eu-
rope has learned and paid for in the
course OF n century Of theory and prac-
tice
Lest 1t might he assumed that the rapid
and gaining depletion Of American forest
resources is sufficiently accounted for by
the increase Of population. 1t is pointed
out in the circular that the Increase in
population since 1880 is barely more than
half the increase in lumber cut I'm the
same period Two areas supplying tim
Der have already reached and passed their
maximum production-the Northeastern
states in 1870 and the Lake states In 1890
Today the Southern states, which cut
Of yellow pine one-third the total annual
lumber cut Of the country, are undoubted-
" near their maximum The Pacific
states will soon take an ascendency. The
state Of Washington within few years
has come to the front and now ranks first
Of all individual states I'm volume Of cut.
At present but oue-fifth Of the total
forest area Of the United states is cm-
hraced In national forests The remaining
four -ffths have already passed or are
most likely to pass into private hands
The average age Of the trees felled for
lumber this year Is not less than $50 years
In other words. II he is to secure a sec
ond crop Of trees Of the same size, the
lumberman or private forest owner must
walt, say. at least one hundred years for
the second crop to grow. AS n rule such
longtime investments as this waiting
would involve do not commend them
selves to business men who are accus-
toned 90 quick returns But the states
and the nation can look much farther
ahead. The larger, then. the area Of
natonal and state control over wood
lands. the greater is the likelihood that
the forests OF the country will be kept
permanently productive.