The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-11-09
BIE..R.. SUI
OF UNCLE SAM
is Rapidly Being DWindled
and Steps Should Be Taken
for Future Supply.

we are now cutting timber from
the forests OF the United Sts4tes 81 the
rate of 100 feet board measure a year
for every man, woman. and child.
In Europe they use only 90 beard
feet
Few statements could be made
which would better convince the
average man thar this country leads
the world IN the demand for timber
It Is made by Treadwell Cleveland,
Jr in a circular which treats-ot the
conservation OF the forests. soil. wa
ter, and all the other great natural
resources, which has just been pub-
lished by the United States Forest
Service. In speaking further of the
consumption Of timber In this coun-
try, Mr.. Cleveland says:
AT this rate. in less than thirty
years all our remaining virgin tins
her will be cue Meantime, the for
ests which have been cut over are
generally in bad way for want OF
care; they will produce only Inferior
second growth. We are clearly over
the verge OF a timber famine.
This is not due to necessity. for.
the forests are one of the renewable
resources. Rightly used, they go on
producing crop after crop indefinitely.
The countries OF Europe know this,
and Japan knows it; and their for
ests are becoming with time not less,
but more productive. We probably
still POSSESS sufficient forest land to
grow wood enough at home TO supply
orr own needs. II we are not blind,
or wIllfully. wasteful. we may yet
preserve our forest Independence and,
with it. the fourth of our great in
dustries. anF
Present wastes in lumber product
ion are enormous! Take the case OF
yellow pine, which now heads the
list in the volume of annual cut. In
1907 it is estimated that only one
half of all the yellow pine cut during
the season was used, and that the.
other half. amounting to 100000
cords. was wasted. Such waste is
typical. Mr.. RIA Long, in his adj
dress ON Forest Conservation at the.
Conference Of Governors last spring.
pointed out that 90 per cent Of the
yellow pine was simply left In the
the timber growing on 100000. acres
..The rest of the wasta takes place
at the mill. OF course, 1t would
never do TO speak of tho material re-
iected at the mill as waste unless
this material could be turned to use.
by some better and more thorough
form OF utilization. But in many
cases We know and in many other
cases we have excellent reasons to be-
iieve, that most if.not all. of this ma
terfal could be used with profit. 1T
is simply a question of intelligent
Investigation and, more than, all, ,of,
having the will TO economic.
'But-there ane,other- ways to CON
serve the forests besides cutting in
half the present waste OF forest pro-
ducts. The forests can he made tot
produce three or four times as rap
idly as they do at present. This Isl
true OF both the virgin forests and
the cut-over lands. Virgin forests
are often fully stocked with first
class timber, but this stock has been
laid in very slowly, on account OF the
wasteful competition which Is carried
on constantly between the rival
trees. Then. too, in, the virgin for
ests there are very many trees which
have reached maturity and stopped
growing. and these occupy space
which, IL held by younger trees,
would he laying in new stock con-
stanty. AS regards the cut-oVer
land, severe cutting, followed by
fire, has checked growth so seriously
that in most cases reproduction Isl
both moor and slow, while in many
other cases there is no true forest
reproduction at all at present, and
there is but little hope for the fu-