Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-04-03
WHAT FORESTRY HAS DONE.

Many people in this country think
that forestry had never been tried until
the Government began to practice it
upon the National Forests. Yet for
estry is practiced by every civilized
country in the world except China and
Turkey. 1t gets results which can be
got in no other way, and which are
necessary to the general welfare.
What forestry has done abroad is the
strongest proof of what it can accom-
plish here. The remarkable success of
forest management in the civilized
coun ries of Europe and Asia is the
most forcible argument which can be
brought in support of wise forest use in
the United States.
The'mo advanced and progressive
countries arrive first and go farthest in
forestry, as they do in other things. r.
deed, we might almost take forestry as
a yardstick with which to measure the
height of civilization. On the one
hand, the nations which follow forestry
most widely and systematically would
be found to be the most enlightened
nations. On the other hand, when we
applied our yardstick to such countries
as are without forestry, we. could say
with good deal of assurance, by this
test alone, "Here is a backward ma
ton"
The countries of Europe and Asia,
taken together, have passed through all
the stages of forest history and applied
all the known principles of forestry.
They are rich in forest experience The
lessons of forestry were brought home
to them by hard knocks. Their forest
systems were built up gradually as the
result of hardship. They did not first
spin fine theories and then apply those
theories by main force On the contr-
,ary, they began by facing disagreeable
facts. Every step of the way toward
wise forest use, the world over, has
been made. at the sharp spur of want,
suffering, or loss. AS a result, the
science of forestry is one of the most prac-
tical and most directly4useful of all the
sciences. 1t is serious work, under
taken as measure of relief, and con-
tinued as safeguard against future
calamity.
The United States, then, in attacking
the problem.of how best to use its great
forest resources, is not in the position
of pioneer in the field. 1t has the ex-
perience of all other countries to go
upon. There is no need for years of
experiment with untried theories. The
forest principles which hundreds of
years of actual practice have proved
right are at its command. The only
question is, How should these be mo-
dified or extended to best meet Ameri-
can conditions? In the management
of the National Forests the Govern
ment is not working in the dark. Nor
is it slavishly copying European coun-
tries. 1t is putting into practice, in
America, and for Americans, principles
tried and found correct, which will in
sure to all the people alike the fullest
and best use of all forest resources.
Take the case of Germany. Starting
with forests which were in as bad shape
as many of our own which have been
reclllessly cut over, it raised the aver
age yield of wood per acre from q
cubic feet in 1880 to 65cubic feet in 1904
During the same period of time it trebl
ed the proportion of saw timber got
from the average cut, which means, in
other words, that through the practice
of forestry the timberlands of Germany
are of three times. better quality to-day
than when no system was used. And
in fifty-four. years it increased the
money returns from an average acre o.
forest sevenfold.
In France. forestry has decreased tht
danger from floods, which threaten t.
destroy vast areas of fertile farms, ant
in doing so has added many million:
of dollars to the National wealth il
new forests. 1t has. s..removed the DANCE
from sand dunes and in their place ha
created property worth many millions
of dollars. Applied to the State forests
which are small in comparison will
the National Forests of this country, i
causes them to yield each year ne
revenue of more than $4,700, 900, though
the sum spent on each acre for manage
ment is over 100 times greater than tina
spent on the forests of the Uuited State
France and Germany together have
population of 10O,000,0OO, in roun'
numbers, against our probable $1,000,
1000, and State forests of IA, 5O0,0 900 acre
against our l6O, 900, 600 acres of Nations
Forests; but France and Germany spen,
IN thair forests SJJ O00 000 q .vaar an,