The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-09-05
al|NGiTHEFORES1S
The DEMONSTRATING by
49,, 49, the Government
VALUE OF THE WORK

l'AAc iiiu uoIlldl pTORIOS6 or the United
Estates has now been reached where
development Of the country is made,
not in the face or the forest but with
Its essential aid. The old process of
exhausting the supply OF timber in a
region and then seeking new fields
us practically over. Already the
lumber industry fs{ turning back Ion
ITS tracks. A quality of timber Is
Ieagerly sought In the Lake States
which a few years ago was ignored
as. utterly worthless, and In the
South the whole pine region Is beiug
tgone over inca close search for the
l0ld field pine, a tree once despised
put now bought up at prices much
higher than those formerly paid FOR
Ithe magnificent timber of the virgin
Iforests.
A publications Just issued by the
department OF Agriculture, entitled
National Forests. and the Lumber
supply defines the Important part
which the National Forests are des-
tined to play in the economic deve1-
Popment OF the country. Abuses have
tgrown up under the laws which pro
Ivide for the disposition of public
land, notably the segregation of
large holdings OF timberland for
speculative purposes. Timber from
the national forests is now pur-
bchased by the Thousand board feet
and payment is made upon the actual
tiscale Of the logs when cut. Two dol
liars and a half per thousand feet is
comparatively low, as present charges
|go, but since the cut ranges from
5000 to 10000 feet per acre, the
government receives from Ave to
twenty times as much for the timber
act. o..
Z Bubble opinion now demands, not
Gthat the government should dispose
of Its remaining timberl9nds as rap
Efdly as possible and leave; it to priv
late enterprise to exploit the forest
hastily, but that what remains of the
national forests should be more con-
ttsefFatiVely- used. The government
t'has been forced into the lumber
business solely in order that a sup
Iply Of forest products may be guar
lanteed to future generations.
= Probably IS per cent of the total
tstand Of merchantable timber within
the forests Is located on the Pacific
Coast, where for a long time the
fenorfnous supply of privately owned
timber will satisfy most Of the de-
fmand. This more accessible private
Timber surrounds the forests as the
meat Of an apple surround the core.
1t has been entirely eaten away in
many places, while in others it Is
locked up by Spectators. The thing
TO remember, then, is that this i'm
mense body of public timber is there
Eas, a great reserve against the time
when private timberlands will be de-
Epfeted. land for use as. weapon
Iagainst monopoly.
The first effect Of national forests
)hpon> prices, particularly where there
is still great deal Of available tim
Der, is to raise the price of outside
fstumpage toward its actual value by
Withdrawing, the excess supply Of
how-priced timber from the market.
But later, as the supply Of timber
dWindles and values are forced I'D
ward by speculative Holdings, the
effect Of the forests will be to check
the advance Of prices. -.
In the virgin forest, growth is Just
fabout balanced by decay. In the
PWestern forests, however, natural
deterioration is greatly augumented
by forest fires. The fires usually do
most harm by damaging merchant
FABLE timber, but, great as this injury
Is, vastly more actual loss In forest
wealth results from the yearly burn
ing over Of the grass and under
growth of the forest. Ground fires
40 not consume the large trees, but
Ethey destroy seedlings outright and
IlnJure growing trees SO that they
quickly decay. Finally, the forest
lwoor, composed of mold of needles,
1twtgs, and MOSES, is burned away.
Far beyond the present. influence
Of the national forests upon the lum-
| Der supply will be their Importance
IN the future. The United States is
now facing a shortage in the stock
Ifof available timber The yield from
I'''S nfE]iOhHk IOIESJS VIA ara greatly
TO bridge over the period in which
mature timber will be lacking, a
period which will last from the time
the Old trees are gone, until the
young trees are large enough to take
| their places.
/ The definite result, therefore, of
Ithe sale of timber from the forests
Will be to sustain the 1umber bust
ness, to maintain steady range of
ltimber values and 50 discourage
speculation, and, far mere important
saH, steadily to furtheg the unin-
terruBted development on the great
industries dependent upon wood.
+ so you don't liks peek-a- boo
/ stvIoo911 A.s.HS. -.