The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-06
KENTUCKY TAKES
CARE OF HARDWOOD
Three Years Ago Very Impor-
tant Laws Were Passed
W00DL0TS ARE VALUABLE
National Forestry Service viii Aid
Kentucky in the Work of Pre-.
serving the Forests From
Total Destruction.
W00DL0TS ARE VALUABLE

Washington, July Especial. Ken
lucky, which is one of the chief hard
wood producing states in the union,
and the first state in the production
OF yellow poplar, is making good prog
ress in the movement for the preserva-
ton of its forests. In 1905 the legis-
lature enacted the law providing for
the state board of agriculture, forestry
and immigration. During the follow
ing winter the board asked and re-
ceiyed the cooperation of the United
States forest service in q study of the
forest conditions of the state. This
work was begun. two years ago and
an examination of half the area of
forest land in the state has been COM
pleted The result of the first years
work, covering the IL most eastern
counties of the state, is published in
the Kentucky Handbo ok. 1906-1907. The
second report, now in the hands Of
the state board of agriculture covers
AZ counties, largely in the coal min
Ing regions of the state. When this
investigation Is completed Kentucky
will have an excellent inventory of
its lumber resources.
The manner In which the forestry
problem has been approached indicates
that the people of the state real
ize that the ultimate solution of the
impending timber scarcity must. for
the farmer, depend largely on how he
handles his individual timber re-
sources, and that there is no better
way than for him to consider the wood
lot as bank account, using the in
terest which is constantly accruing.
but leaving the capital undiminish ed
Much educational work, however
be needed to secure this desirable end.
The second report of the forest SER
vice suggests a forest law. Among
its most important features is a pro-
vision for the appointment of a state
forester. The wisdom of this is evil
dent since only by the appointment of
a state forester can the work in CO.
operation with the forest service be
maintained and carried to successful
conclusion. Until such time, however
as the state of Kentucky is ready to
forest problems, the national service is
willing and anxious to cooperate in
every way possible for the furerance
OF forestry among private owners in
Kentucky. In the cooperative fnves-
legations of forest resources now in
progress. the government spent over
$4,000 to duplicate similar amount ap.
propriated by the state.
K9ltucky has always been rich In
forest resources. but like many other
states has reached the point where tho
timber will hereafter be produced on
a continually decreasing scale, and IT
is necessary to- protect and use care
fully the forests which remain
In 1899 Kentucky cut $4,000 600
board feet of hardwood lumber. In 1907
the cut was S54,00O,000 board feet. an
increase of only 16 per cent in the past
nine years. In the same period the
cut of yellow poplar has fallen off over
"a per cent. During the same time
the prices of lumber at the mill have
advanced on an average of 65 per
cent, and the demand has Increased ac-
cordingly.