Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-10-21

the life of all the industries which de-
pend upon It. but also the control OF
the waters for human use. There Is
only barrenness in the future Of the
nation which has lost the use Of wood
and the control OF water.
The sort of use that was made Of nat
ural resources during the pioneering
stage, while right enough at the time,
IL far too wasteful to be carried on in.
TO the new industrial era. In order
to know how to use thing, however,
It is necessary first to find out how
much Of 1t there is to use, and taking
stock Of our forest resources has led
to startling results.
1T has shown that we are still de-
stroying the forest as we use 1t; that
we are taking from It every year three
and q half times as much wood as Is
added by the new growth. 1t has
shown that less than one-third Of the
growing trees felled by the lumber
man is ever used at all, so that two
thirds Of all the timber cut Is simply
destroyed. It has shown that one-eleV'
epth Of all the forests are swept BY
fires every year. and that on the aver
age since 1870, forest fires have yearly
cost $5O,00O,000 in timber and SOLVES.
It has shown that over 80 per cent. OF
the forests In private hands-which
comprise three-fourths Of all the for
est land and four-flfths Of all the wood
is thus devastated by destructive
use and the scourge Of unchecked
fires, while less than one per cent. Is
properly handled for successive crops
or effectively protected from fire. The
forest as a resource is rapidly being
obliterated.
But the inventory of the forests
has had yet other ugly facts to reveal.
With the disappearance and deteriora-
ton Of the mountain forests the ma
ton Is losing control OF the streams.
which are useful in our civilization In
ways and degrees unparalleled by any
other resource. Pure water for do
nestle purposes is, Of course, indis-
pensable; disable water at the right
seasons is the sole reliance OF the
great projects by which the arid lands
are vivifed by irrigation; cheap Wa
ter transportation is a matter Of dol
lars and cents to every citizen; trust
worthy power streams are the key to
the age Of electricity, at the gates, n'-
which modern industry is standihFe
Yet the guardian Of. the waters 0 :
steadily compelled to retreat BERG q
the ak and IRE.
'Tn waste alone we reject more than
two-thirds Of the lumber that might be
taken from the standing trees. At
least half Of this waste Is unneces-
sary. In the first place, we waste the
forest by refusing to take advantage
of its full capacity for growth. Pro-
tected and properly managed, our for
ests VIII produce far more wood than
they do at present. But while It IL
wasteful to cripple the forest by q viO-
lent numbering which destroys young
groWth=the promise OF the future Tor,
est-It IL doubly waSteful to lock u
the forest and let the ripe timber die
and decay, for in the former Use 9 Ze
forest at least contributes 3 pora y
supply Of wood, whereas ign e.lqt or
case It contributes no vi erisned
at is not use which q he
forests, but waste. Not &Eay to .ch,
but destructive use, combined W1c IN,
excusable neglect, Is causing thes for.
ests to dwindls under our progre ssiVs
demands upon them. The problem.
therefore, Is not to be solved b dis.
use, but BY wise use and prots gction.
These together VIII 20 stimulY lie for.
est growth that the needed va I'd may
be harvested without depleti nE the
stock on hand, and win keen intact
the protective cover at the stream
SourOsA"