Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-07-31
GO. EMINENT PLANS
TO l|D LUM3 men
DEPARTMENT TO STUDY SUPPLY
AND EXPLOITATION
OF TIMBER.

The secretary of commerce and the
secretary of agriculture have complet-
ed plans whereby their two depart
ments will combine in a constructive
study of the supply and exploitation
of timber in the United States, which
has now become one of the big con-
servation and industrial problems.
The study is to be undertaken in the
belief that the methods used in ex-
plotting timber resources and the res
toratiOn of normal and healthy con-
ditions in the industries which con-
vert timber into disable products, Wit
ally concern the public at large.
One of the conditions which, in the
opinion of the secretaries, makes this
study of immediate Importance, is
the fact that the United States which
contains some 5000 billion feet of
standing timber, is now reducing its
stock of stumpage at the rate of sixty
or more billion feet annually, and yet
in spite of this limited timber supply,
lumbermen are now unable to market
much of the poorer grades. They
therefore leave in the woods or burn
in their mills from one-third to one
half of the material in the trees. Poor
varieties of timber often are not cut
at all, but are left to be burned in the
slash fires which usually follow log
ging. Some of this waste it is be-
lieved is preventable, and much more
it is hoped, can be saved under i'm
proved conditions of marketing and
using wood.
Points to be Investigated.
The more important elements in
the project of the two departments
are as follows:
The studies will seek to establish
the essential facts relating to supply,
exploitation and marketing of timber
at home and abroad, and to analyze
the underlying causes of present un-
satisfactory conditions. The aim will
be to deal helpfully with the various
problems presented, and to indicate
as far as it may be practicable, meas
ures which chould be adopted by the
industry itself, or by the public in
relation to the industry. The studies
will be conducted directly by the for
est service in the department of agri-
culture and the bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce, with the Coop
Grafton of the bureau of corporations
and the bureau of standards of the
department of commerce, within their
special fields. All the Information
hitherto gathered by these different
agencies as to the standing timber,
the manufacture and marketing of
lumber, the quality of various tim
bers, and the more economical and
more profitable utilization of wood
will be correlated with any new data
gathered and used to indicate i'm
provements.
Among the related industrial and
business questions which will be con-
sidered are the effects upon lum-
Der production of speculation in
standing timber and the carrying
charges on private stumpage; the ex-
tension of markets, including the de-
velopment of the foreign market for
lumber and other forest products and
the marketing Of material in new
forms; and the competition of lum-
Der produced in other countries and
of other materials used for the same
purposes.
Will Also Study Distribution.
Attention also will be given. in the
interests of consumers and manufac-
turers, to the questions of the dis
lance between the producer and the
consumer, and the distributing agen-
cies which absorb a considerable part
of the retail price. The inquiry has
to do not only with the thrifty use Of
the present timber supply, but also
with the possibility Of applying for
estry in the future management of
private timber lands.