The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-03-20
spur Of want, suffering or loss.

sciences. 1t Is a serious work,
dertaken as a measure of relief, and
continued as a safeguard against
future calamity.
THE United States, then, in attack
ing the problem o. now best to use
It's greet forest resources, is not in
the position of a pioneer in the field.
1T has The experience Of all other
countries to go upon. There is no
need for years of experiment with
untried theories. The forest prin-
ciples which hundreds of years of ac-
tual practice have proved right are
at it's command. The only question
is, how should these be modified or
extended to best meet American
conditions? In the management of
the National forests the government
is not working in the dark. Nor is
1T slavishly copying European coun-
tries. 1t is putting into practice in
America, and for Americans, princi-
pies tried and found correct, which
will insure to all the people alike
the fullest and best use of all forest
resources.
Take the case of Germany. Start
ing with forests which were in as
bad shape as many Of our own which
have been recklessly cut over, it
raised the average yield of wood per
acre from 20 cubic feet in 1880 to
65 cubic feet in 1904. During the
same period Of time it trebled the
proportion of saw timber got from
the average cut, which means in
other words, that through the prac-
tice of forestry the timber lands Of
Germany are three times better
quality today than when no system
was used. And in fifty-four year :.
increased the money returns from an
average acre Of forest sevenfold.
In France forestry has decreased
the danger from floods which threat
en- to destroy vast areas of fertile
farms, and in doing SO has added
many millions of dollars to the Ma
tional wealth in new forests. Ii
has removed the danger from sand
dunes and in their place has created
a property worth many millions of
dollars. Applied to the State for
ests, which are small in comparison
with the Nationa:. forests of this
country, 1t causes them to yield each
year q net evenu Of more than
$4,70O,000, though the sum spent
on each acre for management Is owe
100 times greater than that spent on
the forests of the United States.
France and Germany together
have a population of 100000, 900 in
round numbers, against our prob
able $4,000, 900, and state forests OF
l4.5O0,O00 acres against our 16O,-
100000 acres of National Forests;
but France and Germany spend on
their forests slI,OO0,OOO a year and
get from them in net returns $780,
100000 a year, while the United
States spent on NE National forests
last year $1,40O, 00O and secured a
net return of $3.50, 900.
HL|.u.EILL IT--
In Switzerland where every foot
OF agricultural land is of the great
est value, forestry has made it pos
sible for the people co farm all land
fit for crops, and 20 has assisted the
country to support a larger popu-
lation, and n that Is more prosper
Gus than would be the case IL the
valleys were subjected to destruc-
tive floods. In a country as small
as Switzerland, and one which con
tains SO many high and rugged noun
tains, this Is a service the benefits
or which cannot be measured in dol
lars. 1t is in Switzerland also, in the
Sihwald, that forestry demonstrates
beyond contradiction how great a
yield in wood and money It NAV
bring about If applied consistently
for a number of years.
A circular entitled What For
restry has Done" just published by
the oFrest Service, and obtainable
upon application to the Forester,
Washington, D. C., reviews the for.
est work OF the leading foreign coun.
tries. The chief lesson which NAV
be learned from them are summar-
lied as follows:
What forestry has done in other
countries shows, first OF all, that in
that forestry pays, and that it pay
best where the most money is e
pended in applying 1t. The United
States Is enormously behindhand in
Its expenditure for the management
OF National orests, sut nevertheless
returns have already increased with
increased expenditure for manage
ment.
"A second lesson. clearly brought
home by foreign forestry. is the need
OF timely action, since forest waste
al be repaired only at a great cost
Third. private initiative does NOT
suffice by itself to prevent wasteful
forest use. England, it is true, has
go far followed a let alone policy.
However, England has been depend.
Ing upon foreign supplies Of wood,
Now that all Europe is running ,be.
hind every year in tho production OF
wood (2,620,000 tons), and there
are mistakable signs that countries
which lead as the exporters of wood
VIII have ito lead as importers 81
wood will have to curtail their wood
exports, England is at last feeling
her dependence and is speculatine
as to where she can certainly secure
what wood she needs in the future