Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-03-20
Trees as Crops

III is as sure LndI IOteSG Idnu can
be made to grow successive crops
Of trees under proper methods as
that pillow land can be made to
grow successive crops of wheat"
says the Secretary Of Agriculture
in the part of his annual report
where in he speaks of the National
Forests.
This country, which once could
boast Of forest reserves richer than
auy other nation in the world, has
been cutting three times as much
timber for number of years as
there is grown, and the, considera.
ton Of timber as a crop to be care
fully harvested has come at time
when many Of the virgin forests
are ALREADY depleted. Continuing,
Secretary Wilson says In part:
"Just as American farming has
had to develop and is still develop
ing methods adapted to the condi-
tions of each region to make the
best use of the agricultural lands.
so must the forester learn by scien-
tiic study and practical trial to
make the best use of our tim ber-
land. And The best use means, OF
course, not merely its best use for
the growing Of trees, but its best
use with reference to all interests
directly or indirectly affected by it.
"As time passes, it will doubtless
appear that the principles which
centuries Of experience in older
countries have placed at our COM
mand, can be applied with increas-
ing good results as we grow more
familiar with our own special con-
ditions. The is issue is sharply
between caring for our forests by
applying system Of known effi-
cheney, or suffering certain loss not
Only of the forests, but Of disable
water and soil as we'll, through the
operation Of causes as certain to
act az are the rivers to run to the
sea-"
The Forest Service now has ed
ministration over more than 1884,
100000 acres of land. The is
slightly more than one-ffth OF The
country's total forested area; the
remainder is in the hands OF prl-
vate owners. Nearly all the TIM
berland Of the unappropriated pub
lie domain is now in the National
Forests. This means that it is be
ing protected against fire, theft,
and wasteful exploitation, that Its
power to grow wood and store wa
ter is being safeguarded for all
time, and that nevertheless, its
present supply of useful material
is open to immediate use whenever
it is wanted. The report SAYS:
"The timber in the National
Forests, which is the legacy of the
growth of centuries, is now i'll the
truest sense public property, adj
ministered for the benefit OF the
people-primarily for the benefit
of the people of the West, since
they are nearest at hand, but on
the whole, for the benefit OF every
part of the country, since the well
fare of every section is interviewer
with that of all others. The cont
munities and settlers adjacent to
the forests are safe from any fear
Of monopoly of one of the chief
necessities of civilized man."
The Secretary tells interestingly
of how the government manages
its timberlands as a trustee. 1t
gives timber away through free
use permits in small quantities TO
the actual homemaker, who comes
to develop the county, and in larg.
er quantities to communities for
public purposes. Its system of
management is vastly different
from that of a landlord. When
large quantities of timbe are har-
vested from the National Forests,
sales are made to the highest bid
der. but under such restrictions as
look to the maintenance of a last.
ing supply answering to the needs
of the locality, to be had without
fayoritism and without extortion-
ate demand based upon the necess-
ity of the consumer.