Graham guardian., 1907-05-17
RATES OF LEGAL ADVERTISING
the TIMBER SUPPLY

nNo'y Ps''o" ~ Wv
States is using over six times al
much timber as he would use it ht
were in Europe. The country as
whole consumes every year be.
tween three and four times more
wood than all Of the forests of the
United States grow IN the mean
time. The average acre of forest
lays up store of only 10 cubic
feet annually, whereas it ought to
be laying up at least 30 cubic feet
in order to furnish the products
taken out of it. Since 1880 more
than 100000, 100000 feet of Tim ber
have been cut for lumber alone,
including SO,0O0,OO0,OO0 feet of
coniferOus tim Der IN excess of the
total ooniferous stumpage estimate
of the census in 1880.
These are some of the remark
able statements made in Circular
81 of the Forest Service, which
deals with timber supply Of the
United States and 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 is far too lavish, and
that only one result can follow uu.
less steps are promptly taken to
prevent waste in use and to in
crease the growth rate of every
acre of forest in the Uuited States
This result is timber famine.
This country is today in the same
position with regard to forest re
sources as was Germany l50 years
ago. During this period of $50
years such German states as Sax
ony and Prussia, particularly the
latter, have applied u policy Of
government control and regula.
tion 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 Europe has
learned and paid for in the course
of a century of theory and practice
Lest it might be assumed that
the rapid and gaining depletion OF
American forest resources is suf-
fieciently accounted for by the in
crease of population since 1880 is
barely more than half the increase
in lumber cut in the same period.
Two areas supplying timber have
already reached and passed their
maximum production-the north
eastern states in 1870 and the Lake
states in 1890. Today the south
ern states, which cut yellow pine
amounting to one.tbird the total
annual lumber cut Of the country,
are undoubtedly near their maxi
mum. The Pacific states will soon
take the ascendency. The state Of
Washington within a few years
has come to the front and now
ranks first of all individual states
in volume of cut.
At present but one.fifth of the
total forest area of the United
States is embraced In National
Forests. The remaining four
fifths have already passed or are
most likely to pass into private
hands. The average age of the
trees felled tor lumber this year
is not less than $50 years. Ip
other words, If he is to secure a
second crop of trees of the same
size, the lumberman or private
forest owner must wait, say, at
least one hundred years for the
second crop to grow. As rule,
such longtime investments as this
waiting would involve do not
commend themselves to business
men who are accustomed to quick
returns. But the states and the
nation can look much farther
ahead. The larger, then, the area
of national and state control over
woodlands, the greater is the like.
iihood that the forests of the
country will be kept permanently
productive.