The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-21
Timber Cutting Is Carried On
in Wasteful Manner
TREES ARE NOT LARGE
Most of the Forest Growth in Alaska
Is Scrubby and Most of the Wood
Is Used For Heat, Light
and Power

Washington, June 2o-(Special.)-On the
coast of southeastern Alaska the average
annual precipitation is about 80 inches
and trees grow to a large size; in the
central plateau the precipitation Is less
than Is inches, including the melted snow
and the average size of timber Is small;
while on the Arctic slope, north or the
Rocky mountains, and the region ao-
jacent to the Bearing sea, climatic con-
ditions make forest growth altogether
impossible, and those vast tundras are
covered chiefly with moss, sedges ana
few small shrubs; hence the discussion or
Alaska forests in forest service bulletin
81, recently issued by the United STATES
Department of Agriculture, is necessarily
confined to the southeastern coast region
and to the central plateau, lying between
the Pacific mountain system on the soutn
and the Rocky mountain system on the
north and east and drained principally
by the Yukon and the Kuskokwlm rivers
Tt is estimated that the total forest
and woodland area of Alaska IS approx
mately 100 million acres or ABOUT ~ per
cent OF the ldnQ ditt VI SAtO
OF these about 20 million acres may pos
sibly bear timber of sufficient size ana
density to be used as saw TIMBER White
the other 80 million acres is woodland
which bears some saw timber, but most
ly only firewood.
Tho coast region has a mild climate, not
colder than the northern part OF Fuee'
<.ft rn0
sound or of Scotland. The stand OF trees
is dense, averaging for consideraoie
areas 25,000 feet per acre; Sltka spruce
forming about 20 per cent of the stano ana
western hemlock about 70 per cent. Al
though nv far the most abundant Species
western hemlock does not produce as
large individual trees as the spruce OF
western red cedar-the former OCCASION
ally showing a diameter of six rect Win
a height of 80 feet, and the CEDAR at
tanning diameters of from three TO -FOUR
feet.
The usual lumber cut in the coast Tor
ests of Alaska is about 100000 poaro
feet. almost entirely spruce, as hemiock
is but little used a large part or TINS
output, probably one-third, being used for
salmon cases, and much of the best lum-
Der is used in this way. The southern
and southeastern coast having much
larger timber supply than will be needed
locally for a long time to come, much
of the hemlock should be cut and the
spruce be given an opportunity to IN
crease. The cutting that has SO tar
taken place on the coast of Alaska has
had but small effect upon the Forest
the bulk is yet untouched and as 1t is
now overmature, utilization Tor otner
purposes than lumber should be encour-
aged as much as possible. Both spruce
and hemlock are good pulpwood and
taken together they comprise almost the
entire forests There is faint prospect
that so far as the coast lumber is con-
cerned. it will ever be needed for use
in Alaska. The permanent industries OF
the coast region are fishing and MINING
the mountainous character of the country
will forever prevent agricultural oper-
atoms and the natural barriers prevent
this lumber from being of present penent
to the interior where the need is greatest
and the price high. Besides the timber
itself is not suitable for the structurai