The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-11-18

soon as possible and the spruce, which is more
valuable than the hemlock. should be given
an opportunity to increase. Under present
conditions, with the welknown ability of the
hemlock to reproduce under shade and upon
decaying logs and debris it has the advantage
of the spruce.
Since the Alaska coast forests do not con-
tain timber Of either high quality or as
great variety as grows in Oregon and Wash
ington, there is little likelihood that lumber
from them will compete largely in the general
market with lumber from those states. In
fact, some lumber used in southeastern Alaska
is imported from the Pacific coast states but
good management the part of the Alaska
mills should enable them to supply the home
demand for common kinds of lumber. While
Alaska may eventually export considerable
material of this sort, it must continue to i'm
port timber like Douglas fir for heavy con-
struction work. Utilization for other purposes
than for lumber should be encouraged. The
most promising of these Is for pulp. Both the
spruce and hemlock are undoubtedly good pulp
woods, and, taken together, they comprise
almost the entire forest.
The cutting which has so far taken place
the coast of Alaska has had small effect
upon the forest The bulk of 1t is yet un-
touched. Clearly utilization should be encour-
aged much possible With respect to
the coast forests, there is little In the state
ment sometimes made, that the timber in
Alaska should be held for the sole of Alas
kans. 1t should be manufactured into the
most suitable forms and sold wherever it best
can be marketed. Natural barriers, so far
unsurmounted, prevent it from being of benefit
to the interior, where the need is greatest and
the price highest. Moreover, the coast forests
are not capable of producing great deal OF
the structural material that will be needed in
the interior when the latter region is more
fully developed and made accessible by rail-
roads.
The annual growth of the coast forests Is
far in excess of the local needs, and unless
methods of utilization developed which
will result in the export of forest products
these forests cannot be handled rightly
The forests of interior Alaska are prac.
ticaly all included within the drainage basin
of the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers. They
are chiefly Of the woodland type, and are esti-
mated to cover approximately 100000 acres,
but probably not more than 100000 acres
bear timber Of sufficient size and density to
make it especially valuable for either cord
wood or saw logs.
Several times as much timber is used each
year in the interior Of Alaska for fuel as is
used for lumber. The interior of Alaska de-
ponds entirely upon wood for heat light and
power.
Obviously all the forests of Alaska wheth-
er on the coast or in the interior should be
protected and made of the utmost permanent
use. The coast forests, which include most
of the saw timber Of the territory and by far
the heaviest stands, are nearly all protected
by national forests. They have not been dam
aged by fire and are but slightly reduced by
cutting. They Overmature. Carefully
planned cutting should take place as
possible. Every effort should be made to have
them utilized for lumber, and especially for
pulp. They should be managed as to in
crease the stand Of spruce and decrease that
OF hemlock. In the interior forests situated
entirely upon public lands, unregulated cutting
and devastating fires are going The coast
forests we're reserved before they were i'm
paired Those of the interior have already
been seriously damaged Their protection can
not begin too soon. While the products of thu
coast forests need a foreign market, the fnte
rior forests with the best of treatment are not
likely to supply more than part of the home
demand. If protected they will continue to
furnish logs for cabins. low-grade lumber and
fuel indefinitely. Higher grade lumber re.
quired by the interior must always be imported