Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-30
TIMBER SUPPLY IN
THE UNITED STATES

I've are now cutting timber lroll
the forests of the United States at
the rate OF 500 feet board measure
year for every man, woman, ana chilo.
In Europe they use only W boaru
feet
Few statements could be MADE
which would better convince the
average man that this country leads
the world IN the demand for timber
II Is made by Treadwell ClcVeiana'
Jr. in a circular which treats OF the
conservation of the forests, soil. wa.
ter, and all the other great natural
resources, which has just been pup
lished BY the United States Fores'
Service. In speaking further OF the
consumption OF timber In this coun-
try. Mr.. Cleveland says:
"At this rate, in less than thirty
wears all our remaining virgin tim
her will be cut. Meantime, the Tor
ests which have been cut over are
generally in a Tad way for want OF
care; they will produce only INFERIOR
second growth. We are clearly over
the verge OF a timber famine.
This Is not due to necessity. TOT
thu forests are one of the renewable
reources. Rightly used. they 20 ON
producing crop after crop indetini'e.
ly. The countries Of Europe know
this, and Japan knows It: and the'i
forests are becoming with time not
less. but more, productive. We PROD
ably still possess sufficient forest laha
to grow wood enough at home to sup
ply our own needs. II we are not
blind or willfully wasteful. we may
vet preserve our forest independence
and. with It, the fourth of our great
industries.
present wastes In lumber pro-
'ductton are enormous. Take the case
of yellow pine. which now heads the
list In the volume Of annual cut. Ill
1907 it is estimated that only one
half of ali the yellow pine cut during
the season was used, anu that the
other half. amounting to S,000,Vuo
cords. was wasted. Such waste Is
typical Mr.. X. A. Long, In MS au-
dress on Forest Conservation Al the
Conference OF Governors last spring.
pointed ont that 20 per cent OF the
yellow pine was simply left IN the
voods-a waste which represents the
timber growing on 300,osO acres.
"The rest Of the waste kakes
Mace at the mill. OF course. 1t would
never do to speak of the material re-
fccted at the mill as waste un;es3
this material could be turned TO use
nv some better and more Thorough
form of utilization. But In many
cases We know. ana many other cases
ve have excellent reason to beiseSe,
that most. IL not all. o! this materia'
could he used with profit. II Is
simply a question Of intelligent 'nves'
tisation and. more than all. OF na''ns
the will to>economixe.
But there are other ways to con-
serve the forests besides cutting III
half the present waste Of forest pro
ducts. The forests can be maze to
produce three or four times as rapio'
~ as they do at present. This !s true
OF both the virgin forests and the
cut-oyer lands. Virgin forests are OF
ten fully stocked with firs'-cisss TIM
her. but this stock has tcen laid In
very slowly. on account Of the waste
full competition which is carried OF
constantly between the rival trees
Then. too. in the virgin forests theFe
are very many trees which cave
reached maturity and stopped grow
ing. and these occupy space which
II held by younger trees. would be
IL wing in a new stock constantly. As
regards the cut-oscr land. severe cu',
tins. followed by fire. has checked
80 seriously that In most cases repro
ducficn Is 10th poor and slow. wh'ie
In many other cases fnerc Is no true
forest reproduction At all at present