The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-09-13

coon ne possible and the spruce, which Is more
,alnahle than the hemlock, should be given
on annortunity TO increase, Under present
conditions with the well-known ability OF the
banfeck 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 as 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 on 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
structlon work Utilization for other purposes
than for lumber should be encouraged. The
most promising OF these Is for pulp. Both tho
spruce and hemock are undoubtedly good pulp
woods and taken together. they comprise
almost the entire forest
The cutting which has so far taken place
on the coast Of Alaska has had small effect
upon the forest The bulk of it is yet IN
touched Clearly utilization should be encour
the coast forests, there Is little in the state
ment sometimes made, that the timber In
Alaska should be held for the sole use of Alas
kans 1t should be manufactured into tho
most suitable forms and sold wherever 1t best
can be marketed. Natural BARRIERS so far
unsurmounted, prevent II 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 a 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 are 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
on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers. They
are chiefly Of the woodland type, and are esti-
mated TO cover approximately 80. 900 900 acres
but probably not more than 10000 900 acres
bear timber OF sufficient size and density Ia
make 1t especially valuable for either cord
wood or saw logs
Several times much timber is used each
year In the interior OF Alaska for fuel rs is
used for lumber The interior OF Alaska de-
ponds entirely upon wood for heat, light and
power.
Obviously all the forests OF Alaska vheth
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 territor, and by far
the heaviest stands, are nearly all protected
oy national forests. They have not been dam
aged by fire and are but slightly reduced by
cutting They are overmature Carefully
Planned cutting should take place as soon IA
possible Every effort should be made to have
'heih utilized for lumber and especially for
pulp They should be so managed as to in
crease the stand Of spruce and decrease that
VI hemlock. In the interior forests. situated
ehtlreiy upon public lands. unregulated cuttins
ana devastating fires are going on The coast
iotests were reserved before they were i'm
paired Those OF the interior have already
oeen seriously damaged Their protection can
no' oegln 100 soon. While the products of the
Gus. forests need foreign market the int
, -, forests with the best OF treatment nre no,
ihey 70 supply more than a part OF the homs
a s II protected they will continue to
furnish logs for cabins. low-grade lumber and
iaei Indefinitely. Higher grade lumber re-
0u'red oy the interior must always be impovteI