The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-04-30
MUST WORK TO Save WOOD
Government Control Necessary for
Forest Preservation

Every person in the United States is
using over six times as much wood
as he would use if he were in Surope.
The country as whole consumes
every year between three and four
times more wood than all of the for
ests of the United States grow in the
meantime. The average acre OF for
est lays up a store of only 10 cubic
feet annually, whereas it ought to be
laying up at least 80 cubic in order to
furnish the products taken out of it.
Since 1880 more than C,000, 00O, 900
feet of timber have been cut for lum-
Der alone. including 10000 900 900 feet
of coniferous timber in excess of the
total cOniferOus stumpage estimate Of
the census in 1880.
These are some of the remarkable
statements made in Circular 81 of the
forest service, which deals with the
timber supply of the United States
and reviews the stumpage estimates
made by all tle important authorities
A study of the circular must lead di-
rectly to the conclusion that the rate
at which forest products in the Unit
ed States have been and are being con-
sumed 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 FAM
inc. 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
Prussia. particularly the latter. have
applied a policy of government con-
troll and regulation which has inn
mensely 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 when
Europe has learned and paid for in the
course of a century of theory ana
practice.
Lest it might be assumed that the
rapid and gaining depletion of Ameri-
can forest resources is sufficiently ac-
counted for by the increase of pop
ulation. it is pointed out in the cir
since 1880 is barely more tnan half the
increase in lumber cut in the same
period. Two areas supplying timber
have already reached and passed their
maximum production--tne Northeast
ern states in 1870 and the Lake states
in 1890. Today the Southern states,
which cut yellow pine amounting to
one-third the total annual lumber cut
of the country. are undoubtedly near
their maximum. The Pacific states
will soon take the ascenrency. The
state of Washington within few
years has come to the front and now
ranks first of all individual states In
volume of cut.
At present but one-tifth Of the total
forest area of the United States is
embraced in national forests. The re-
naming fOur-fifths 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. if he is to secure a second crop
of trees of the same size, the lum-
herman or private forest owner must
wait, say, at least one hundred years
for the second crop to grow. AS u
rule, such ding time 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.
tlen the area of national and state
control over woodlands, the greater is
the likelihood that the forests of the
country will be kept permanently pro-
ductiVe.