Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-21

be utilized by some more desirable spe-
cies. And our cedar swamps have oeen
inha bited summer and winter by the
tie-makers. until little $ left of them
but areas of slash.
OF our h~ardwoods the m~erchantable
white birch and poplar wherever fairly
easy of access, has been quite generally
gathered in: and the beech. yellow
birch. maple and other varieties. where
accessible to mill or railroad. have CIV
en- I'D their best specimens for last
blocks. bobbins. handles. hubs and for
many other uses. AS the hardwoods.
with the exception of poplar. cannot he
transported BY driving, and as they
have not been greatly in demand, VIC
still have plenty of virgin hardwood
growth; but for our future supp OF
soft WOOD we will soon have to RELY
principally on what we can grow on our
cut-oVer lands.
The latest figures available show that
Maine is at present the leading state
in the Union in the consumption OF
pulp-wCod, using in the n~eighoorhood
of a million and a quarter cords a year
\ small ger ent of this amount comes
il from other states and from the Car
adam Provinces. If we might visualize
the thousands of acres of timberland
practically denuded of softwoods each
year Just TO furnish this enormous
amount of pulpwood, We perhaps might
realize more Gully how rapidly we are
diminishing our supply of timber.
Although it would seem that here in
Maine we are using up u most val
- .-l- ~ 1,,o - ctAp III ~
they are being reproduced. and that III
a few years our annual cut must be
greatly reduced, We may safely forecast
great Improvement IN our forest poi
ricS. A great part Of our tlmberland Is
unfit FOX any Other purpose but the
growing of trees, II economic prinH1-
pics Will not allow tina this lane go to
waste entirely. Like many of u SIS
ter states, who are also facing The
problem Of a future timber supply. we
must reach out toward improved
methods
Certainly any form of taxation that
tends to cause timber to be cut before
it is fully matured makes us all losers.
The owner loses bccause he has har-
vested mis- timber crop before It is ripe:
we lose the added volume Of timbeF
that would have grown if It had re-
manned uncut for a longer period. ana,
as after cutting. the valuation must be
lowered considerably the lower yalua-
ton produces less tax revenue from
that particular tract. When the valua
ton of tiniberland is to low it certainly
should be raised, but not too abruptly
The assessors. particularly in the case
Of wood-lOtS on which there is young
growing timber should not u the va
uation up more than five or ten per
cent q wear. An abrupt rise of 90 or l0C
per cent has a marked tendency t.
cause the ownerS to cut Immediately
If our State Constitution would allow
it. doubtless the best results would be
attained if the rise in valuation was
brought about gradually and not car
ried beyond so or 20 per cent of tht
actual value of the tract, depending OF
the character of the growth.
4 4 . My own candid judgment OF
the whole affair is that the State. city
and town assessors must give to the
cause of taxation of forest and tht
very best Judgment they have and WORK
It out to the best of their ability witt
the ,uners of that kind of propertI
| AMI to the best good of our State.
! Adjournment vas then taken for thf
Wednesday Nealtime conferences.