Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-19
Paper Of Forest Commits
sionef {. E. Ring
Prepared Eor The National Con-
ference al Washington.
Valuable Exposition Of Names
Great Natural Resources.

E. Ring, to be read at the conference
OF governors at Washington, but on
account OF lack Of time could not be
dilevered, has by vote of the confer
ence been reconiZed and will eventual
ly be made a part of the records of
the meeting:
The total area of Maine is 81 500
square miles, or only 1900 square miles
less than all the rest of New England
combined
OF this area about $1,000 square
miles or 2-3 of the total area is wood
land. The State Of Maine, in common
with all other states, owning large
tracts Of timber lands, made the mis-
take Of not holding them, but sold
or 1-340 Of it's wild lands is owned or
by private ownership.
There are 428 incorporated towns, 20
cities. % plantations and 443 unincor-
porated townships. The latter are
covered with forests. The climatic
and soil conditions of Maine make it
peculiarly well adapted to the growth
of a large number of valuable trees,
particularly pine and spruce. While
it is true that much the larger part of
the old growth pine has been cut,
there are still many hundreds of mil
lion feet of second growth of a size
suitable for lumber standing in our
forests today.
Careful estimates made in 1902, TAX
Ing each town by itself, showed that
the stand of spruce on the different
water sheds Of the State was in ex-
cess of Il billion feet, or Ia of the en-
tire stand in the United States. The
trees were figured at size of II
inches on the stump, at the swell of
the roots. Nearly all of this timber
Is located along the different river
systems and is very accessible to mar
ket, no logging railroads ever having
been used in Maine. From observa-
tons and studies made by the U. S.
Forestry Department in 1902, it was
estimated that the annual growth of
spruce in Maine under ordinary condi-
tions would equal 3la per cent. This
being the case the spruce forests of
this State, by economical cutting, will
stand q cut of TAB million feet annual
ly without depicting the supply. AS
the annual cut is about $50 million
feet, it will be seen that if fires can he
kept from our forests there is no great
danger from a spruce famine in Maine
at present.
II is undoubtedly true that on some
of the river systems spruce is being
cut somewhat more rapidly than the
annual growth, but taking the State as
q whole, with the present forest fire
laws in force, and with the more
progressive method of economical cut
ting and preservation of the smaller
growth. which is rapidly superseding
the old wasteful methods of lumber
ing, Maine will be able to produce an
nually at least 700 million feet of
spruce, (of a size II inches on the
stump for many years to come.
In addition to the spruce and pine,
immense quantities of cedar hemlock
and the various kinds of hardwoods
arc distributed everywhere throughout
the State. OF the hardwoods, except
the white birch. which has developed
into very important industry in the
manufacture of spools and novelties.
very little has been utilized up to the
present time. AS these different va
rieties of woods are very valuable. it
Is only a question of time before they
will be utilized and made profitable
to the State.
While careful and economical cut
ting is being observed by the larger
land owners, there has been ten
dency in recent years in some Of the
southern counties to strip the lands,
in the desire for immediate returns.
and to the great injury of the own
erS. and the water powers upon which
10 fnY.. 70. 1or Ae.
suit, some Of the people Of that sec
ton realizing the great value of their
forests to the State from a CONNER
cial standpoint, the preservation of its
valuable water powers, and the gem
eral utilities of public interest, asked
for law at the last session of the
Legislature to prohibit the cutting of
spruce and pine of a size below II
inches at the stump. There was con-
siderable opposition to this measure.
many of the members believing that
such an act would be unconstitutional
AS a. result, an order was passed by
the Legislature asking for an opinion
from the Supreme court of Maine as
to the constitutionality of a law to
restrict the cutting of trees on the
wild lands of the private holders, in
the interests of forestry, the preser-
walton of water powers and rainfall
and the general utilities of public in
terest in these domains.
The substance of which opinion is,
that it is entirely competent for the
Legislature. by statutory enactment,
to reasonably regulate the cutting of
trees upon such lands. 1t is very
probable that as result of this
opinion a law will be passed at the
next session of the Legislature to pre-
vent the "skinning" of woodlands in
Maine.
The value of the pulp and paper
product in 1905 was given at So. 951,-
1914. an increase Of about 60 per cent. in |
five years. The number of pulp and |
paper mills in Maine in 1905 was 81.
and since that time a number have |
been added. The capital invested in
this industry amounted in 1905 to SAL
273,915; the average number of men
employed being 1874, and the wages
paid amounting to s4.052,919 making
the pulp and paper industry take the
first rank in the varied industries in
the State. that position having been