The independent., 1907-02-21

| crop. We shall have to correct this
error by the creation and maintenance
of forest reserves. Within a few years
we shall have $50 to 200 million acres
OF forest land under government con-
troll. 1t is not to be expected that the
private owners who control the re-
mainder can afford to go into forestry
Ihls IS a longtime proposition, it be-
ing estimated that the average tree cut
for lumber today is between $50 and 200
years old. The private owner cannot
live long enough to realize on such a
proposition
''The best managed German forests
yield on an average about fifty cubic
feet Of wood per acre annually If our
forests grew as well they would bare
ly furnish by annual growth the
amount of wood we now use IT is
probably safe to say that under pres
ent conditions, the growth is not more
than one-fifth that of the German for
ests. We are rapidly using up our for
est capital
Pending the creation of a new wood
supply by forest management and
planting, we must so solve the follow
ing problems in order to make our
present supply go as far as possible.
According to present practice but little
more than % per cent of the cubic con-
tents of a. tree reaches the consumer
in the 70, u Of lumber. This would
not be important were the other IS per
cent made TO serve some useful pur-
pose, but SO far this has not been the
case. The guiding principle of the flu
tuTe must be that every part of the
tree is intrinsically capable of utiliza
alton, and that in consequence, logging
viii DC done more carefully There will
be greater care in cutting, lops. tops
and stumps will eventually be used for
fuel, dlstillation, excelsior or pC!1. and
thousands of feet of logs will not be
used Tor temporary roads, skids. etc.
in the woods. Manufacturing will be
more economical. This will be accom-
plshed through the further use of the
band-saw through the saving of ma
ter1ai by the acceptance of odd lengths
in lumber, etc. We may expect that
slabs. edgings and trimmings will cease
to go to the burner, and will instead be
devoated to some useful purpose, such
as pulp making or distillation. Veneer
Ing is the most economical method of
cutting UP log, and makes the same
amount OF material go much farther
-han 1t would in any other form. The
science OF seasoning lumber will be fur |
her perfected. We use annually over
F0O feet board measure per capita. |
while Europe averages but sixty. We |
an and must learn to use less and Use |
t more judiciously. A great gain is now
gong on in the use Of steel. cement
md concrete. Preservative treatment
vii save our posts ties and poles. We
nail learn to use our packing boxes
more than once. Mechanical tests Of
imbers will give us the proper basis
or grading and utilizing them.
Woods which have long been con-
idered inferior or useless will be suh-
tluted for those which are gettino
career The evolution of the wagon
OK is an excellent example Once. tba
.andard wagon-box board was white
Inc, then came yellow poplar. then
ottonwood, more recently red gum
nd today the formerly despised tupeIo
going into wagon boxes. though sur-
tomorrow 1t will be hold
lg an honored place. Each of these
langes has come about as the result
the decreasing supply and increasing
rice of the wood previously used.
1T is the duty of the forester on tbe
ne hand to demonstrate how these
may be made as abundant
nd of as high a grade as possible. and
4 the other hand to indicate how they
ay be used most economically and adj
antageously. Surely. this is an object
orth striving for"