The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1908-01-30
TIMBER SUPPLY
Big Drain Upon the Forests Is
Being Made
LAND RAPIDLY Barred
Trees are Being Cut Down Three
Times as Fast as They Grow
Forestry Bulletin

Since 1850 the sources of lnmbei
supply have undergone remarkable
changes. The first change was in tn
IL giOn which the principal kinds o.
il mber were procured, and this was
followed by the substitution of Other
kinds of wood in their places. Meth
e.. the centers of the lumber industry
nor the leading classes of woods are
the same as they were twenty-five
years ago. In 1880 nine States
Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
New York. Texas, Arkansas, Missis-
sippi, Louisiana, and Washington
produced 52.8 per cent, or more than
half of the total lumber production
OF the United States. In 1906 these
States produced 15.5 per cent, prac-
tically the same proportion, but the
changes which have taken place in
the output of individual States are
very striking. Michigan, for instance
cut 90 per cent OF the total in 1886
and but Sc per cent in19O6; Louisi-
ara cut or per cent of the total in
1880 and rs per cent in 1906; Wash
il, gton furnished 90 per cent OF the
lumber production of 1880 and 11.5 per
al the virgin timber 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
l,v wear The increase In cOnsump-
ton of timber since 1880 has been
more rapid than the increase of the
population, and greater than in any
similar period in the history OF the
country. This shows in a striking
manner how much the nation depends
upon forest products, and indicates
how greatly all interests must suffer
rs lumber becomes scarces and dearer.
Statistics gathered by the Bureau
OF the Census and the Forest Service
show that the quantities Of timber
used last year for lumber, shingles,
ties, puipwoud, cooperage stock, mine
timbers, lath, dlstlllatiOn, veneer,
poles. tanning, and turpentine and
rnsip. expressed in board feet, reach
!; total of approximately 90 billion
l,uard feet
Whlle these drains upon the forest
ara known with reasonable certainty,
there are others Of which there is no
record. These are the demand for
rcs,s, fuel, and domestic purposes, re-
sArdIng which 1t is more DIFFICULT I'd
obtain information, because the pro-
drcts often pass through no market,
Int are consumed on the farm where
tl.ey were produced. Careful es'l-
mates, however, place the total OF
wood used for fuel alone at an equlva-
Mt of so billion board feet a year.
II Will be seen, then, that the pres
eut consumption of wood in all forms
j., above 100 billion board feet annual
ly. Estimating the forest area OF
the United States at from 500 to 700
r,lljon acres, and the annual growth
Il, GO board feet per acre, the yearly
increases is from 80 to AZ billion feet.
Al this rate, the annual growth bare
" equals the amount consumed for
lumber alone. Considering all the
drains the annual consumption of
wood is probably three times the an
Iual growth. Detailed estimates OF
standing timber range from l,4O0 to
2 900 billion feet Using the larger
fieure, and considering the annual
growth of 40 billion feet, it appears
that there is not more than thirty
three years supply of timber in this