Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-09-10

Virginia resist erosion better than
the lighter soils OF many states. and,
for that reason 1t Is possible to re-
forest after many fires and many
years of washing.
Formerly the lack OF shipping IA
cilities kept large mills out OF West
Virginia. and the states hardwood
resources had been little more than
touched long after New Eneland's.
New York's. Pennsylvania and even
Ohio's and Indiana's had been heavi-
ly drawn upon, and largely depict
ed
But West Virginia's woods are in
accessible no longer. The building
OF railroads along all the principal
water courses has brought the for
ests within reach of the market. and
they are going out at a rate which
cannot long continue.
state needs forest policy while
1t yet has forests. It should not un-
dertake to make parks OF it's wood
lands. That is not the end or aim
OF forestry. Woods are not TO be
fenced in and kept They are 20 be
used. The timber should be cut and
sold. Every resource should be nut
TO wise use. BUT waste shoull
stop. II is the states duty to stop
1t as far as It can. The greatest
waste is from fire. TIL next groat-
est is caused by careless and de-
structive numbering. The United
States has almost done away with
destructive fires in its forests. The
states can do as well.
The government looks after lum-
bering in its forests, and sees that
mature trees only are cut. and that
the small trees are left to grow. The
states can, to a certain extent. do the
same, but they must do Il by req
soning and persuasion. because they
do not. as rule, own the land. The
states can pass good, sensible. req
sonable laws. which all reasonable
men viii obey. and that will help.
Present numbering methods are
usually destructive. They always are
when the land owner thinks OF pres.
ent returns only and plans nothing
for the future. The mill operators
buy land for the present stand Of
timber. They usually cut everytbin
that will sell and as prices now ATE
everything larger than a bean pole
sells. Much Of the land In West Viz
ginia Is rough, 1T only for the grow
ing OF forests. When the trees have
been removed to the last prop and
pit post, the owner thinks the lane
Is not worth the taxes. and he cares
little what beromes OF H. But Il Is
still worth a great deal If taken
rare OF and given an opportunity to-
produce another forest.
Here is the states opportunity 70
do what the individuals will not do
or at least have not done-take I'm
hand the prevention and the exiting
uishing of forest fires. as the govern
ment has done in the notional for
ests.
There is solemn warning I'm the
fact that West Virginia's forest re-
sources are going as Michigan's.
Wisconsin's, and Pennsylvania went.
but West Virginia's are not yet gone.
There Is time to save them. but no
time to spare.
The government has under consid-
Grafton the matter Of creating one or
more national forests I'm the east
congress having appropriated s25.-
600 for an examination of the re-
gion. At present all I'm the United
states lie west Of the Mississippi
One Of the proposed eastern forests
would include the White Mountains
in New Hampshire; the other. called
the Appalachian forest. would prob
ably extend I'm a long strip. follow
ing the SUBMITS OF the priucipa;
mountain ranges from Maryland 10
Georgia, probably crossing or touch
ing Maryland West Virginia. viz
ginia. Kentucky. Tennessee. North
and South Carolina and Georgia.
The strip Of land would be quite
narrow i'm many places. just wide
enough TO cover and protect with fits
forests. the sources Of the PRINCIPAL
rivers rising in the Allegheny and
neighboring and parallel mountain
ranges. The pr venion of excessive
floods and drougths by keeping the
mountain covered with woods ie the
chief purpose of the government I'm
taking mp the work.
If congress creates this Appalacb-
ian forest II will cross West VIRGIN
Ia, but will cover little more than
the highest ana most rugged ranges
The most Of the states wooded area
VIII be left outside for the state and
The people TO look after. What the
government would do would be- high
~ beneficial and advantageous bpt
ut would leave the main question Of
forest preservation in West virginia
TO the people Of West virginia TO
work out for themselves. Every
years delay means loss which can
never be fully recovered.