Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-06-24

| ident of the association and Clifford
| Pincllot at present is our National
| Forester. Just a word as to this
man Pinchot of whom you have hearo
great deal lately. He is a Yale
graduate. man of independent means
and he is promoting the work of the
Bureau of Forestry from purely I'M
selfish motives. He is not a CRATER
or politician of any sort. Forestry
is his hobby and he, as his father
before him, has been educated foi.
| it,
At present only about % per cent
of our total forest area is in state
or national forests. which is about
156 million acres. This if rightly
managed is sufficient to produce
enough timber to supply our needs.
Private owners too must use their
forest lands in the right way if we
are to maintain our timber supply.
| Congress without delay should set
aside the White Mountain and Appa-
lachian Forest Reserves.
Strange as it may seem there is
powerful and selfish opposition to
Ievery step taken by the government
for the protection of forests, and peo-
pie should arouse themselves to the
seriousness of the situation. The
lumber and timber barons who have
accumulated princely fortunes want
the process to go on as long as
there is tree left standing.
A state forester is absolutely nee
essary to conduct efficient forest ad-
ministration. Wisconsin is fortunate
in having one, Mr.. Griffith is our
state forester. The state forester
should advise and assist in all tree
planting and should be state forest
fire warden, also control the state
forest fire patrol which must be es-
tablished before the people will en-
gage in tree planting to any extent.
/ oAO GIL o1hOI PiOpSlty, LIulD0F III
most states is not only unprotected
but is also uninsurable because the
risk is so great from fire. Most
forest fires are the result of care
lessness or spite, or ignited by men
who hope to make money by fighting
fire. All of these causes are suf-
ficlent to invite attention and severe
punishment. It's subject that each
state must handle with a scrong hand
"A forest fire may burn I'D in a
night more wood than would supply
half state with lumber.
The farmers must by nature of the
situation be the people who will
carry on this great work of reforest-
alton, everything should be done tn
make it cheap and easy to under
take it. In man. states the laws
are very unjust, the standing timber
pelng taxed, instead of just cut tim
Der. remission of taxes for a term
or years should be granted for put
Ting lands under forest cover. The
state should make annual appronria.
ton for the use of the state for.
ester with which to buy cheap lands
upon which to establish forest re-
serves. A demonstration plantation
should be established in every coun-
~. Adjacent property owners would
De very apt to catch the contagion
and plant trees.
NOW to get down to our own corr
munity. We women may not he able
70 plant trees ourselves, but we can
each remind busy husband or hire
man to do the work under our su-
perFlslon. Our premises should have
all the trees they will accommodate ar
tlstically and all vacant lots should
nave some trees planted upon them.
Our local groves, trees along the
river banks and on the islands should
all be preserved 1t should be made
a misdemeanor for anyone to de-
face or injure a tree In placing
pulIuinSS mink twice before you cut
down a tree.
We must educate our children along
these lines. We should let each
child select and plant a tree of his
own and care for it. Children some
times misuse trees because they dom,
know their value Growing along
the wayside they see no difference in
exercising their muscles on pulling
a sapling or pulling up a use.es
ence and care for the trees. A full
weed. Teach your children to rever-
grown tree represents nearly two lie
times and the grand trees of the
forests of Wisconsin and Michigan
are from one to four hundred years
old. Think of it. A tree like that
can be destroyed in single day.
! l need not speak at length to
you Of the beauty Of our ferest and