The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-06-18
VALUE OF TIMBER.
Spain Feels Need of Forests.
(U. S. Forests Service.)

A suggestion by Spanish manufac
turers that Spain plant forests fol-
pulpwood and follow Italy's example
by planting quick growing species has
been reported to this government by
Consul-General Ridgely, of Barcelo-
ma. Spain is waking to the necessity
Of growing her own timber. Nearly
all civilized countries are moving in
that direction because it is coming to
be understood that countries which
do not grow their owr timber must
go without it for a few decades.
1t has been customary to cite Spain
and China as examples of the dis
tressing results which follow forest
destruction. Spain is as large as
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
West Virginia, Virginia. and North
Carolina, but its forests have only
three-fourths the extent of West
Vlrginia's alone, and much of them
are scrub thickets Of a very poor
kind.
The country's population is be-
lleved not to exceed one-third Of
what it once was or what it nigh be
again. Much of the denuded land is
absolutely barren, with the red rock
laid bare where agriculture once
flourished. Hills, whose rounded
forms indicate they once supported
forests, are bald and dry now with
out inhabitants. In some localities
peasants, with hammers, pulverize
rocks and make little patches for
soil for gardens.
At the present time Spain's most
valuable forest product is cork. The
annual cut is 10000 tons, but the
cork forests are going, as other for
ests went, and for the same reason
want ofeare. Enterprising Spaniards
are just now trying to supply their
country with home-paper, but
pulpvood is not to be had except by
importing it. The home cut is only
$500 tons a year---about what a sin
gle American pulp company would
use in three days.
Foresters say that there is no rea-
son why Spain might not do what
France, her neighbor on the north,
has done, cover her barren places
with forest, restore the soil, abate
floods, mitigate droughts, provide
for many, and furnish
raw material for manufacturers.
WOOD LOTS IN JAPAN.
In these times of great drains on
the timber supply, caused by the
heavy demand for forest products
of all kinds, Americans may see in
Japan an example of what can be
done in growing wood on small plots.
That country contains 81 million
about 'three-fourths of
which belong to private persons and
one-fourth to communes.
The average size of the plots is less
than nine-tenths of an acre. They
occupy the steepest, rough
est, poorest ground. In this way
and is put to use which would other
wise go to waste, and if unwooded
would lose its soil by the wash of the
1ashing rains.
From Japan's woodlots, the yearly
yield of lumber is about 98 feet,
board measure, per acre. and three
fourths Of a cord Of frewood. In
many cases the yield is much higher.
More than half a billion trees are
planted yearly to make up what is
:ut for lumber and fuel. Assess
nent for taxation is low, averaging
'or the the 21 million lots less than
! dollar an acre.
With all the care in cutting, and
he industry in replanting it is by no
means certain that Japan's forests
ire holding their own. If the pres
,ryation of the forests is doubtful
here, it is evident that depletion
must be alarmingly rapid in other
which cut unsparingly and
plant very little. On the other hand,
t is encouraging to see what can be
lone with rough, steep and poor land.
The United States has enough of that
Kind, without touching the rich ag-
.icultural acres, to grow billions of
:eet of Lumber.
The Whole Show. /