Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1913-05-23
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1913.
MASSACHUSETTS FORESTS.

~
1t is high time that we called a halt
to the progress toward forest extinction
in this state. Perhaps Massachusetts
is no worse than her neighbors in this
respect, but what they may do or fail
to do is not her business. Defects or
dangers within her own boundaries it is
her duty to correct if possible. This
problem was taken up in an interesting
manner in Springfield yesterday after
noon when State Forester Rane and
James S. Whipple, former forest, fish
and game commissioner in New York,
discussed the question before the local
branch of the Massachusetts Forestry
association. 1t is not easy to check
this exhaustive tendency by any meth
DDS that are at present feasible. We
cannot say to the owners of land that
they shall not sell the growth of their
woodlots when they need ready money
and can see no other way of getting 1T.
If the State is to make any Roadway it
must be by operating on its own ac-
count, and not by restricting the natural
rights of private owners.
Recognizing this fact, Mr.. Rane pro-
posed a system of half a dozen forests
in various parts of the state. He said
that hundred thousand acres might
easily be set aside for forest purposes
without conflicting with agricultural in
terests, and in time they would give the
State an annual income of half a mil
lion dollars, or considerable more than
the land would yield in any other way.
1t might not be easy to acquire so large
a tract of forest land in half a dozen
tracts and perhaps it would not be
desirable. AS demonstrative plots and
object lessons they should be scattered
more widely over the State that all
sections might benefit impartially. If
Mr.. Rane's estimate of probable re-
turns are approximately accurate, the
State could well afford to venture upon
such an enterprise. 1t might be dis
counted even 80 per cent and still fur
nish warrant for the undertaking as an
investment, because as rule the land
could be purchased at a low figure. The
kind of education that the farmer
urgently needs is along the line of max
ing his wood and timber growths profit
able without destroying them. That
this can be done has been demonstrated
in hundreds of instances.
Mr.. Whipple brought message
and warning from New York, State
which he said had done more than any
other in planting commercial trees in
large quantities, though the process
was still somewhat experimental.
To make the future safe, he said
his own State should plant from
$4,000, 600 to 100, 600, 600 trees annually
and Massachusetts should do the same
in proportion to her size. Both States
have land enough, good for no other
purpose, upon which to grow them.
"You have in Massachusetts, west of
the Connecticut river" said he, "136
portable sawmills in operation at the
present time. 1t looks to me as though
it will be only a few years before that
section will be all cut off and then
burned up. Are you going to allow that
to be done. A resolution asking the
Legislature to act along the line of
these suggestions was adopted.
1t is strange that more public interest
has not been manifested in this forest
slaughter and that greater effort has
not been made to arrest it. The State
will even now furnish men to instruct
farmers how to cut trees in an econom-
ical and scientific way and will do il
without cost beyond their bare expenses,
but there seems to be little call for then
services and they cannot well be forced
upon wood and timber owners. The
conservation spirit needs to be aroused
We have been boasting for severa
hundred years of conquering the forests
We have certainly done that and have
conquered some of our vital, materia
interests as well. We have APP
peared to regard the forests, like the
buffaloes and the Indians, as obstacles
to civilization and development. 1t i!
about time we faced the facts as they
are. Boston Transcript
RENOVATING RURAL SCHOOLS.