The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-02-05
100000 TREES
RAISED EVERY YEAR
STATE FORESTRY NURSERIES TO
TURN OUT MILLIONS OF PINE
PAINTINGS.
WILL PLANT $500 ACRES
State Now Has Control Of $4,000
Acres Which Can Eventually Be
Used for Forestry Planting Pur-
poses-Has Six Reserves.


Lansing.-When the public domain
commission formally accepts the policy
of reforestation which was given 1t by
State Forester Marcus Schaaf-and
there is every indication that it will
do so within a few months--Michigan
will begin to take rank with any Of
the states in the matter OF reforesting
waste lands.
r. For several years the Michigan for
estry department has been slowly
building up to the time when plant
ing of trees In the waste lands of the
northern peninsula and the northern
part of the southern peninsula could
become a reality. The nursery which
was established at the Higgins lake
reserve is now on the way to the zen.
it'll of its capacity to turn out trees
for planting. At the rate the nur-
sery is now going it will reach It's
maximum of productiveness In about
two years, at which time Mr.. Schaaf
gays he will be able to turn out H.
900 900 two-year-old trees year.
1t is planned by the same. time to
get ready to plant about 1890 acres
q year and keep on working at the
plan until all of the states land
which can grow white and Norway
pine is covered. BY the time the
planting of these lands is completed
the first crops should be ready for
harvest and thon the planting can pro-
coed all over again.
The state now has control of about
5z5, 900 acres, about one-half of which
MIR. Schaaf thinks can he used for
planting purposes. The rest he does
not think is good enough ground even
for trees.
On one of the forest reserves now
there are pine trees eleven years old.
This is the oldest which the state has
tenderly watched and cared for and
the trees are just beginning to loom
up as real component parts Ct a
forest. Since 1904 there have been
paintings en- a small scale each year
SO that already the state has some
crops coming in rotation. The acre
age which was planted each year has
increased. During the spring and fall
planting seasons last year 1907 acres
were planted.
To carry out the plan for years to
come 1t will be necessary for the
legislature to increase the appropria-
tion somewhat, but Mr.. Schaaf thinks
he can get along with comparative
ly small increase. AS far as plant
ing has proceeded, it costs about $3.50
an acre.
The state now has six forest re.
serves, as follows: Higgins lake (the
headquarters), Ogemaw. Luce county.
Houghton lake, Fife lake and Pressure
Isle. More state lands which are ex-
pected to revert to the state within
the next couple of years will increase
this list by two or three. so far.
most Of the work done on the reser-
vations, with the exception of that
at Higgins lake, has been in, fire pro-
lection. Fire lines, fire towers and
all appliances for fighting forest fires
have been installed.
With the system of fire protection
as nearly perfect as 1t is possible for
human hands to make 1t, State For
ester Schaaf says that planting on
a large scale should begin as soon as
practicable. He has insisted all along,
however, that the protection be fixed
before the states money is put out
In trees.
Planting in the Luce county reserve
will be started next spring. 1t will
be the next one to be tackled, and Is
is likely that nursery will also be
started at this reserve. The state
has many calls for trees for planting
from private individuals. and II the
Higgins lake reserve nursery Is to
send out all of the trees for the gen.
eral planting, 1t will be necessary to
have another and smaller nursery to
attend to the commercial business.
/, Secretary of State Coleman G.
Vaughan, one of the most recent adj
ditions to the membership Of the pub
lie domain commissions, is greatly In
terested In the work Of reforestation.
The work OF past years is just be-
ginning to show" Mr.. Vaughan says,
"and the policy as outlined by Mr..
Schaaf, l think should be followed.
Along that line in few years we
shall have q great deal to show for
the money the state has expended"
New Corporations.