Barton County democrat., 1908-01-31
DRAIN UPON THE FORESTS.
They Are Belng Cut Three Times as
Fast as They Grow.

auie changes. Ine 1rst change
was in the regions from which
the principal kinds of lumber were
procured. aud bis was followed
BY the substitution of other kinds
of wood 10 their places. Neither
the ceDters of the lumber industry
nor the leading classes of wood
are the same as they we're twenty
five years ago. In 1880 nine States
Michigan, PENNSYLVANIA. Wis.
consin. New York, Texas. Arkan.
sas, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Washington produced 52.S per
cent, or more than half OF the
total lumber production OF the
United Statel In 1906 these
States produced SIS per cent,
practically the same proportion,
but the changes which have taken
place in the output of individual
States are very strong. Michigan.
for instance. cut % per cent OF
the total in 1880 and but Sc per
cent in 1905; Louisiana cut OF
per cent Of the total iu 1880 and
rs per cent in 1908; Washington
furnished but O.9 per cent Of
the lumber production of 1880
and II 5 Der cent of that of 1906.
The cutting out Of the virgin tim
Der in the North and East has been
followed by increased drains upon
the forest resources of the South
and West.
Despite these conditions the
amount of timber required has
increased year by year. The in.
crease in consumption of timber
since 1880 has been more rapid
than the increase Of the popula.
tion. and the greater than in any
similar period in the history of the
country. This shows in a striking
manner how much the nation de-
pends upon forests products, and
indicates how greatly all interests
must suffer as lumber becomes
scarcer and dearer.
Statistics gathered by the Bureau
of the Census and the Forets Ser
vices show that the quantities of
timber used last year for lumber,
shingles, ties, pulpwood. coope.
rage. stock. mine timber. lath,
distillation, veneer. poles. tanning.
aud turpentine and rosin, ex.
pressed in board feet. reach a
total Of approximately 80 billion
board feet.
While these drains upon the
forest are known with reasonable
certainty. there are others of
which there is no record. There
are the demand for posts. fuel and
domestic purposes. regarding
which it is more difficult to OBJ
tain information. because the pro.
ducts often pass through no mark
ct, but are consumed on the farm
where they we're produced.
Careful estimates, however, place
the total of wood used for fuel
alone at an equivalent of so billion
board feet a year.
1t will be seen. then. that the
present consumption of wood ln
all forms is above 100 billion
board feet annually. Estimating
the forest area of the United |
States at from 500 to 700 million
acres. and the annual growth at |
80 board feet per acre. the yearly |
increase is from 30 to AZ billion |
feet. At this rate. the annual |
growth barely equals the amount
consumed for lumber alone. Con |
sidering all the drains. the annual
consumption of wood is PROBABLY
three times the annual growth.
Detailed estimates of standing
timber range from l.4OO to 1000
billion feet. Using the larger
igure, and considering the annual
growth of 40 billion feet, it appear
hat there is not more than a
thirty three years supply Of timber
n this country at the present are
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