The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1908-04-02
GROW TREES
AS CROPS
Secretary Of Agriculture Says
Trees Make Successive Crops
as Does Wheat
(From Fridays Daily1

(From Fridays Daily)
at is as sure that forest land can
be made to grow successive crops OF
trees under proper methods at that
plow land can be made to grow sue
cessive crops OF wheat" says the
Secretary of Agriculture In the part
OF his annual report wherein he
speaks Of the National Forests,
This country which once could
boast OF forest resources richer than
any other nation in the world, has
been cutting three times as much
timber for number Of years than
there is grown, and the considera'
ton OF timber as crop to be care
fully harvested has come at a time
when many OF the virgin forests are
already depleted, Continuing, Sec
rotary Wilson says in part
Just as American farming has
had to develop and ia still develop
ing methods adapted to the condi-
tlons Of each region to make the best
use of the agricultural lands, so must
the forester learn by scientific
study and practical trial to make the
best use of our timber land. And
the best use means, OF course, not
merely It's best use for the growing
of trees, but its best use with refer
ence to all interests directly or in
directly affected by II.
"As time passes 1t will doubtless
appear that the principles which CEN
turtles OF experience in older coun-
tries have placed at our command
can be applied with increasing good
results as we grow more lanunar
with our own special conditions. The
issue is sharply between caring for
our forests by applying a system of
known efficiency, or suffering GER
tain loss not only or the forests, but
of unable water and soil as wcN,
through the operation OF causes as
certain to act as are the rivers to
run to tho sea"
The forest service now has adj
ministration over more than 1884,
100000 acres of land, This Is
slightly more than one-fifth of the
country's total forested area the re-
mainder Is in the hands of private
owners. Nearly all of the timber
land OF the appropriated public
domain is now in the National For
ests. This means that 1t being pro-
tected against fire, theft, and waste
full exploitation, that its power to
grow wood and store water 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 re-
port says:
The timber in the National For
ests, which is the legacy OF the
growth OF centuries, is now in the
truest sense public property, admin
stared 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 welfare OF every section Is
interviewer with that OF all others.
The communities and settlers adjac-
ent to the forests are safe from any
taer of monopoly OF one OF the chief
necessities OF civilized man"
The secretary tells Interestingly Of
how the government manages its
timber lands as a trustee. 1t gives
the timber away through free-use
permits In small quantities to the
actual homemaker, who comes to de-
velop the country, and in larger
quantities to communities for public
purposes. It's system of manage
ment is vastly different from that Of
! a landlord. When larger quantities
OF timber are harvested from, 40 ".
tlonal Forests, sales are made to
the highest bidder, but under sucn
restrictions as look to the mainten-
ance of lasting supply answering
to the needs Of the locality, to be had
without favoritism and without ex-
tortionate demand based upon the
necessity OF the consumer.
With Senator Whyte, the oldest