The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-04-03
The Result OF Forestry.

What Forestry has done in other countries
shows first OF all, that forestry pays anc that it
pays best where the most money is expended in
applying it. The United States is enormously be
midland in its expenditure for the management
of the National Forests, but nevertheless returns
have already increased with increased expendi-
ture for management.
A second lesson, clearly brought home by
foreign forestry, isthe need of timely action since
Forest waste can be repaired only at great cost.
Third, private initiative does not suffice by
itself to prevent wasteful forest use. England, it
is true, has so far consistently followed letalone
policy. However, England has been depending
upon foreign supplies of wood. Now that all
Europe Is running behind each year in the pre-
d1ction of wood t26200O0 tons. and there are un-
mistakabe signs that countries which lead as ex-
porters of wood will have to curtail their wood
exports, England is at last feeling her dependence
and is specializing uneasily as to where she can
certainly secure what wood she needs in the
future.
Fourth, when the forest countries are compared
as to wood imports and exports. and when it is
realized that number of the countries which
practice forestry are even now on the wood i'm.
porting list, the need of forestry in the export
countries is doubly enforced.
Russia, Sweden, Austria Hungary, and Canada
for instance. are making good the wood deficit
of larger part of the world. Sweden cuts much
more wood l06,O00.O00 cubic feet than she pro-
fduced; Russia. in spite of her enormous forest
resources. has probably entered the same road;
and England, the leading importer of wood, must
count more and more on Canada. But the United
States consumes every year from three to four
times the wood which its forests produce, and in
due time will doubtless take all the wood that
Canada can spare. In other words unless the
countries of the western hemisphere apply
forestry promptly and thoroughly. they will one
day assuredly be held responsible for world.
wide timber famine
Fifth, in comparison with foreign countries the
prospects for forestry in the United States are
particularly bright, for the following reasons !.
~ We start with the assurance that success can
certainly be attained.
ca We have few of the handicaps which have
trammeied other countries. We have no ancient
forest rights and usages with which to contend
or troubl esome property questions to settle
81 The results which other lands have achieved
by long struggle often with bitter COSTS are tree
to us to use we wish. We have, it is true, our
purely National and local forest questions, but
the key to many of them is somewhere in the
keeping of the countries which have achieved
forestry.
"a In variety combined with value our forests
are without parallel in the world. They pro.
duce timber adapted to the greatest variety o,
uses. SO that, except to meet shortage, impor.
tations of wood are unnecessary. Furthermore,
transportation facilities enable US to make every
foreign region available Thus, by specializing
our forest management. each kind of forest may
be made to yield the kind of material for which
it is best adapted. and the wastes due to com
pulsory use of local supplies may be practically
eliminated.