The daily sentinel., 1909-04-17
TO SAVE
LOCAL FORESTS
Especial to The sentinel.I ]

Denver, April lI.-FOreSt cOnSer-
walton means the striving for a bet
ter utilization of forest products and
the consequent checking of useless
waste as much as il does the protec-
ton of forests from fires and the
reforestration of lands which should
grow timber according to foresters
and progressive lumbermen of the
new school.
Few people have a clear idea of
the importance of the study of proper
wood utilization, and one of the eff
fects of the establishment of the for
est service district offices most bene-
ficial to the people of the West is
the possibility of a close, helpful re-
lation with branch of the service
whose workings have heretofore been
little understood in this region. This
Is the branch of products.
The work of this part of the forest
service has to do with the best and
most economical utilization of the
products of the forests, not only lum-
ber and its products but also the
bark, resin. sap, and even leaves of
these trees of which these parts are
of value to man.
1t is not enough that care should
be given to the growing of a new for
est and to the careful and economical
cutting of the present crop of trees.
but it is of equal Importance that
care be taken to bring about as COM
plete a utilization of the tree as
possible and to make the utilized
timber serve its purpose as long as
possible. To bring about the utiliZa-
tion of what is now wasted in manu-
facture or to increase the unsable life
of timber is considered as much for
est conservation as to grow a forest
urla orig hac nff
Since more than so per cent of the
growing tree is not utilized according
to American methods of numbering it
appears that there is a considerable
need of study along the line of more
economical utilization. Although ex-
isting conditions are so different as
to make comparison difficult yet the
fact that in Germany practically 80
per cent of the tree is used gives
some indication of what may be ac-
complished where the price of lum-
Der and the lack of sufficient sup
ply make efficient and careful meth
DDS Indispensable.
The branch of products has made
special effort to make possible the
utilization of the waste incident to
manufacture after the log has reach
ed the mill. For some time expert
ments have been carried on studying
the possibilities of utilizing slabs and
sawdust. In regions where there is
sufficient demand considerable
income is derived from the secondary
manufacture by private parties. of
slabs and edgings into box shocks,
barrel slaves, and lath AS yet pri-
vate and federal efforts to utilize
sawdust have not been as successful
as may be desired. The lines of most
promise, however. have been its use
in paper making and in the distilla-
tion of pine sawdust for the produc-
tion of turpentine. Much remains to
be accomplished, however, to make
this work an unqualified success.
sun another dissipation of timber
wealth has occurred through pref
udice or the ignorance of the proper
ties OF certain woods. For some rea-
son certain species have been con-
sidered as Inferior largely because
such prejudice has been formed
against them as to render them prac-
tically valueless on the lumber mar
kets on which account they were left !
in the woods, total loss. In many |
cases the popular conception of their |
value has later not been borne out by |
the facts, or has been found to be the |
result OF Ignorance of the proper
method of handling these species.
The forest service with district |
headquarters in Denver is ready to |
give Vhat information 1t may have |
At its command concerning the value
and properties of any wood or to CO.
operate with private individuals to |
make tests on woods concerning
which no information is at hand.
T.is district also offers wide
tield for active work in utilizing mill
waste. Because of a more plentiful
-imber supply in this region, com
pared with several of the other dis
riots, the lumbermen have not con-
'idered it necessary to make the
closest utilization of the tree. In
many sections the less progressive
Mills are wasting mountains of saw
lust which might be used for wood
iistillation and the extraction of
urpentine and alcohol, or even for
uel. Thousands of tons of slabs are
wasted in the same way.
The office of products of this dis
rict Is desirous of coming in touch
With all who use timber where pre-
ervation would lengthen its use and
tands ready to render practical as
distance both by furnishing infor-
nation concerning the treatment of
imoer and by cooperating in the in
tallation and operation of timber
reating plants.
The tributes to the city and the
Tal1ey SnOkqn nv naru,i,, I, |