The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1912-04-05
STATE FORESTS.
By Professor G. w. Peavy. of the
Department of Forestry at the
Oregon Agricultural College.

By Professor G. w. Peavy. of the
Department of Forestry at the
Oregon Agricultural College.
Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
vallis-To the friends of forestry in
Oregon the proposed creation of a
State Forest, by exchanging the
scattered school lands for tract
of timbered land within the limits
of one of the National Forests, is
good news. This proposed action was
advocated by Governor West in a
message to the last legislature. 1t
has taken definite shape in a bill
introduced by Representative Haw-
ley in the Congress of the United
States.
When the National Forests were
created by presidential proclamation
the title to the school lands lying
within the boundaries of the forests
did not pass to the federal govern
ment but remained vested in the
states. These lands may be sold
by the state or may be exchanged
with the federal government foi
equal areas of public land outside
the National Forests Since the iso
lated sections of school lands in the
forests will, as rule, be of small
value to individuals for many years
to come, it appears to be matter
of good business on the part of the
state to secure a solid body of tim
ber in lieu of them. When it is un
derstood that the state still holds
title to more than 10000 acres O
forest land, it Is very clear tina
| Oregon is in possession of the posi-
bility of valuable forest property.
The native timber on a tract o
the size indicated above could b'
sold by the state and logged off b,
the purchasers as a definite business
proposition. The young stuff coult
be protected to form the basis of {
future crop of timber, while olt
burns and waste places could b'
brought into use by sowing tre'
seeds or by planting young stuff. II
other words this tract of land coult
be so handled as to be made
source of revenue to the state TO
all time.
Eventually, when the lands of thu
state become classified through ust
or by experts in the employ of the
state. the areas which are more val
liable for timber production vii
surely be devoted to that purpose al
certainly as agricultural lands vii
be dedicated to tillage. When tha
| time approaches the state OF Oregon
will, Inquestionably, take steps tt
acquire lands chiefly valuable fol
the production of timber and to pu
the lands to that use. Before the
state becomes the proprietor of for
est lands on a large scale 1t woult
be a wise thing for the people t
acquire proficiency in the method
of handling wood lands scientifically
Like scientific agriculture, scientifi
forestry is an exacting profession
The problems to be solved are intr
. cate. But, unlike agriculture, fo
estry demands a long period for Tn
determination Of satisfactory concll
sions. A crop of corn or potatoe
natures in a year. A crop of tin
: ber requires half century or NOR
Hence, the state lands of Orego
should possess a timbered area
which the various problems, incider
to forestry in this region can b
worked out For example, we mus
) know the best methods of replacin
the forest on burned over areas
whether by seed sowing or by plan
ing Seeding trees and the method
to be employed in each case; tn
species of tree to grow on certai
situations; the time at which tn
crop should be harvested in orde
that the largest amount of wood pc
year may be produced in differen
locations.
In addition to the solution of thes
problems, the state should have
means of training men in forestr
by actual work in the woods. TIL
people of Oregon, very wisely, ar
seeking to work out agriculture
problems by the establishment of e.
pertinent stations in different local
ties. The forest resources of tn
| Stdte dT6 SSCOHu OhlN W tucpC
agriculture and the proper handlin
a of the forest crop is of as vital y
. terest to the state as the prope
I handling of agricultural crops, an
/ the state should be equally col
0 cerned in seeing to it that the grea
' est value possible Is obtained frol
this immense property. The increa
ing demands for timber, together wit
the exhaustion of the supply in othe
. regions of the United States, poiI
9 to the concentration of the timbe
q demand on the Pacific Northwes
within few years. We should b
+ prepared, not only to harvest on
. great timber crop to the best az
: vantage. but we should also be /
a position to provide for a futur
/ crop when the present magnificer
natural resource Is gone.
State forests are not a novelty /
this country. Already many of tn
Eastern states have begun the acqu
stion of forest lands, in many case
paying private owners more for Gu
over lands than the same lands wer
originally sold for by the FEEDERS
Government New York, for exam
pie, has become possessed of NOR
than million and half acres c
forests, an area which that common
wealth proposes to manage for tn
Wise to Stick to Them.
1 lat