The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-03-19
WHAT FORESTRY HAS DONE.
Some of the Things Accomplished
In France and Other Countries.

upon the National Forests. Yet fores-
try is practiced by every civilized coun-
try in the world except China and Tur-
key. 1t gets results which can be got
in no other way. and which are neces-
tary to the general welfare
What forestry has done abroad is the
strongest proof of what it can accom-
plsh here. The remarkable success of
forest management in the civilized
countries of Europe and Asia is the
most fOrcible argument which can be
brought in support of wise forest use
in the United States.
The more advanced and progressive
countries arrived first and go farthest
in forestry as they do in other things.
Indeed, we might almost take forests as
yardstick with which to measure the
height of a 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 a 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 We're brought home to
them by hard knocks. Their forest sys-
tens were built up gradually as the re
suit of hardship. They didnot first spin
fine theories and then apply those
theories by main force On the con-
trary, they began by facing disagree
able facts. Every step of the way to-
ward 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 in one of the
most practical and most directly useful
of all the sciences. Its a serious work,
undertaken as measure of relief, and
continued as a 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 the other countries to 90
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 j.. How should these be modi-
fed or extended to meet American con-
ditions? In the management of the
National Forests the Government is not
working in the dark. Nor is it slavish-
ly copying European countries. 1t is
putting into ,practice, in America, and
for Americans, principles tried and
found correct, which will insure to all
the people alike the fullest and best use
of all forest resources.
Take the case Of Germany. Starting
with forests which We're in as bad shape
as many of cur own which have been
recklessly cut over, it raised the average
yield Of wood per acre from 20 cubic
feet in 1880 to 65 cubic feet in 1904.
During the same period of time it
trebled the proportion Of saw timber
got from the average cut, which means,
in other words, that through the prac-
tice of forestry the timberlands of Ger
many Of three times better quality to-
day than when no system was used.
And in ffty-four years it increased the
money returns from an average acre of
forest sevenfold.
In France forestry has decreased the
dangers from floods, which threaten to
destroy vast areas of fertile farms, and
in doing so has added many millions Of
dollars to the National wealth in new
forests. 1t has removed the danger
from sand dunes and in their place has
created a property worth many millions
of dollars. Applied to the State forests,
which are small in comparison with the
National Forests of this country, it
causes them to yield each year a net
revenue of more than $4, 700, 900, though
the sum spent on each for management
is oyer 100 times greater than that spent
on the forests Of the United States.
France and Germany together have
population of 100, 600, 600, in round num-
bers, against our probable So, 900, 900,
and State forests of 1880, 900 acres
against our l60 900, 900 acres of Nation
al Forests; but France and Germany
spend on their forests ST, 900, 600 year
and get from them in net returns $780,
100000 year, while the United States
spent on the National Forests last year
81, 400, 900 and secured a net return of
less than $130, 600.
In Switzerland, where every foot of
agricultural land is Of the greatest
value, forestry has made it possible for
the people to farm all land fit for crops,
and so has assisted the country to sun