The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-05-27
THE NEED OF FORESTRY.
Vermont Mills Saving Smaller Logs
and More Hard Woods.

There are some who say that forestr,
in Vermont Is unnecessary, that our FOR
ests are growing faster than they are cut
II this were true il would be no argument
against increasing the forest productivity
Of the state any more than il would be
an argument against better dairying Ia
say that our cows are producing milk a.
fast as we are using il. Unfortunately
il is not true, for although the annual
cut of lumber in the state has remained
about the same for the past twenty-five
years, il is being 80 maintained By the
cutting Of small trees and by the sub
stitution OF hardwoods. LAUNDERING the
hardwoods has only been made possible
in most districts during the past few years
because OF the growing scarcity Of soft
woods throughout the country and con-
sequent rise in prices Of hardwoods.
Many Of the sawmills Of the state are
now equipped with machinery for making
bobbins, clothes-pins or some other small
articles, thus enabling them to utilize
the portions OF hardwood logs which a
few years ago were wasted.
The state forest service, in order TO
form some accurate idea of the size OF
the logs now being manufactured, made
a study of two mills one belonging to
Mr.. Knight Of Underhil and the other
to Mr.. Wheeler in Waterbury. OF the
million and half feet of logs in the yard
Of the Underhill mill 100000 feet are
hardwoods and 100000 feet softwoods.
OF the latter only about 100000 feet
are spruce, here at the foot Of Mount
at mill whose annual cut
Of spruce was a million feet ten years
ago. All Of these logs were purchased,
many OF them being hauled ten or twelve
miles; and some of them at least were
rom sugar orchards.
A great many logs on the sideways
IF these two mills were measured Just
Is they came and represent probably the
average run Of logs in this portion Of the
'tate, If not of the whole state. Of the
'pruce logs at one mill 1910 were less
han 10 inches in diameter; $50, Ills
inches; go, 1920 inches. At the other
mill, $3.50 were less than 10 inches; 1870
LIS inches; l4gc, 1920 inches. Out
II 300 spruce logs measured ii would
,nly be possible to saw two boards 20
inches wide. 1t is also interesting to
tote that in the latter MILL where 539fo
II the spruce logs were less than 10 inches,
hese logs only scaled $3.50 of the lumber;
While the logs Ills inches scaled 400. |
md those 1920 inches 35%.
While the hemlock logs run somewhat
anger than spruce about the same pro-
'ortions obtain, namely, $50 less than
0 inches; 1870, Ills inches; so, 1920
inches; Az, over 20 inches. OF course
he hardwoods are not sawed so small
nd the biggest proportion Of the logs
re therefore between | / and Is inches.
In so far as the small softwood logs
epresent tops which would have been
5asted ten years ago, mill practice has
but most OF these small logs
epresent also small trees; and herein
es the explanation of the fact that the
Imber cut of Vermont has not yet ma
erially dropped off; but the equally
vident proof that it will drop off very
during the next few years.
If any lumbermen Of the state have
ecords of the sizes of their logs in past
ears comparison of these sizes with
hose of the present would be very in
,resting and the state forester would
e glad to learn of such data.