The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-10-15
SAVE THE TREES
From page I

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trees America has decided advan-
tage over Europe, where intensive
forestry is paying well. American
corporations and longtime investors,
as well as the provident farmer, must
go deeper, into forestry to reap full
reward"
'The increase in the number and
size of railroad treating plants during
the year has been phenomenal. The
scarcity of suitable timbers for rail-
read ties, combined with the high
prices which they consequently COM
mand, is one of the reasons for the
remarkable increase in the number of
railroads which are beginning to treat
and use the inferior timbers found
along their own lines.
Reports of the American Railway
Engineering ard Maintenance of Way
Association, show that the railroads
which have been pioneers in treating
timber, have found it a paying invest
ment. The Chicago and Northwestern
Railway erected a tie plant in 1908,
and since then has been treating hem
lock and tamarack at the rate of
about 100000 ties a year, and now
treats also beech, birch, and maple.
The Santa Fe Railway has laid 131s
million treated ties, and the records
show the average life of those first
laid to have been 1862 years. When
in 1904, a considerable amount of
main line track in New Mexico was
washed out and replaced temporarily
with untreated ties, treated ties were
substituted as soon as they could be
obtained, and the untreated ties were
sent to The plant for treatment. Ac-
cording to the latest report, total
of 100000 ties annually, or IL per
cent Of the total cut, are now treat
ed" il {,
Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, and
Mississippi are better acquainted with
their forest resources by reason Of
forest surveys conducted in coopera-
ton with the Forest Service. Taxa
alton, now the most difficult problem
in State forest work, is receiving
thoughtful attention.
"A very successful plan in Ohio of
cooperating with landowners in es-
tablishing plantations and maintain
ing their timber tracts in such condi-
tion that they will serve as education
al examples in correct forest practice
has been extended until practically
every county in the state has been
covered. This includes the prepara-
ton of plans for managing woodlots
ard timber tracts and the furnishing
Of. planting material which will be
grown according to plans and. instruc-
tions furnished. A total of 466 farm
ers are thus cooperating with the
state experiment station. A state
forest survey has been begun. Y
Among the varied activities of the
Indiana forestry commission, none is
more productive of better results than
the encouragement of planting, by
experiments conducted On the state
reserve and by published information
on forestry in general and on the
success of those who are growing tim
Der in Indiana.
r "In Michigan, during the fiscal year
1906-07, dead timber to the value of
over $4,000 was sold from the state
forest reserve. Over 60 miles of fire
lines have been built. Owing to the
efficiency of the fire patrol, no fires
occurred last year. The plantations
of the Saginaw forest farm, at Ann
Arbor, are becoming valuable object
lesson, not only for school and ex-
'perimental purposes, but for the gen.
eral public. The Cleveland Cliffs Iron
Company have increased their staff of
foresters and are planning reforesta-
ton large scale. On the Ausable
River, on Manitou Island, and at Ce-
dar Lake landowners are carrying on
extensive reforestration. Two inves-
tors at Grayling are purchasing lands
and making preparations to convert
these into regularly managed forest
properties. The forestry commission
distributed over $4,000 seedlings for
experimental plantations among vari-
GUS landowners in the state Forest
sentiment among the people, among
legislators, and with the press is
steadily growing. One of the best
illustrations was the enthusiastic
meeting of the Northern Michigan
Press Association at Traverse City,
where an entire evening was devoted
to forestry, and reforestration was
strongly advocated
During 1907 the most important
work in Wisconsin was the appraising
and selling of scattered and agricul-
tural lands and the use of the pro-
ceeds to purchase other lands suitable