River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-09-08


valuable than the hemlock, should be given
an onportunity to increase. Under present
conditions. with the wellknown ability of the
ban1ock 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 III 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. Whlle
Alaska may eventually export considerable
material of this sort, it must continue to I'M
port timber like Douglas fir for heavy con-
structon 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
on the coast Of Alaska has had small erect
upon the forest The bulk of it is yet I'M
touched Clearly utilization should be encour-
aged as much as 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 use of Alas
kans Tt 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 ana
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 ands 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-
ically all included within the drainage basin
of the Yukon and Kuskckwim rivers. They
are chiefly of the woodland type, and gre estl-
mated to cover approximately 80,O0OOO0 acres,
but probably not more than 40,OO0,0OO 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
wear 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-
or on tbe coast or in the interior, should be
nrotected 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
nv 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 as
possible. Every effort should be made to have
them utilized for lumber, and especially for
pulp. They should be SO 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 on. The coast
forests were reserved before they were inn
paired Those of the interior have already
been seriously damaged. Their protection can
not begin too soon. While the products of the
coast forests need a foreign market, the inte-
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.