The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1908-03-19
FACTS
Has Done Much For Countries
Across the Waters
WILL HELP SOME HERE
Importance of Wise Use of the
Growing Trees Upon the Pros
l. perity Of Nation

Many people in this country think
that forestry had never been tried un-
til the Government began to practice it
upon the National Forests. Yet for
estry is practiced by every civilized
country in the world except China and
Turkey. 1t gets results which can be
got in no other way, and which are
necessary to the general welfare.
What forestry has done abroad is
the strongest proof OF what it can
accomplish here. The remarkable sue
cess of forest management in the
civilized countries of Europe and Asia
is the most fOrcible argument which
can be brought in support of wise for
est use in the United States.
The more advanced and progressive
countries arrive first and go farthest
in forestry, as they do in other things.
Indeed, we might almost take forestry
as yardstick with which to measure
the height of civilization. On the
one hand, the nations which follow
forestry most widely and systemati-
cally would be found to be the most
enlightened nations. On the other
hand, when we applied our yardstick
to such countries as are without for
estry, we could say with a good deal
of assurance, by this test alone, Here
is a backward nation"
The countries of Europe and Asia,
taken together, have passed through
all the stages of forest history and
applied all the known principles of
forestry. They are rich in forest ex-
perience. The lessons of forestry We're
brought home to them by hard
knocks. Their forest systems were
built up gradually as the result of
hardship. They did not first spin fine
theories and then apply those theories
by main force. On the contrary, they
began by facing disagreeable facts.
Every step of the way toward wise
forest use, the world over, has been
made at the sharp spur OF want, SUI
fering, of loss AS result, the science
of forestry is one of the most practl-
cal and most directly useful of all the
sciences. 1t is serious work, under
taken as a measure of relief, and con-
tinued as safeguard against future
calamity.
The United States, then, in attack
ing the problem of how best to use
its great forest resources, is not In
the position of 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 prlncl-
piles which hundreds of years of actual
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 work
ing in the dark. Nor is it slavIshly
copying European countries. 1t is put
ting into practice, in America, and for
Americans, principles tried and found
correct, which will insure to all the
people alike the fullest and best use
IF all fOroct roSourcoS
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 Is 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 practice of forestry the
timberlands of Germany are of three
times better quality to-day than when
no system was used. And in fifty
four years it increased the money re-
turns from an average acre of forest
sevenfold.
In France forestry has decreased the
danger from floods, which threaten
to destroy vast areas of fertile farms,
and in doing so has added many mill
lions of dollars to the National wealth
in new forests. 1t has removed the
danger from sand dunes and in their
place has created property worth
many millions of dollars. Applied
to the State forests, which are small
in comparison with the National for
ests Of this country, it causes them
to yield each year net revenue Of
more than $4,000, 900, though the sum
spent on each acre for management
ia over 100 times greater than that
spent on the forests of the United
States.
France and Germany together have
a population of 100.O00.0OO, in round