The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-08-13

upon our wood resources. Fire takes
more than the mills. The eastern
, slope Of the Rockies is IS per cent
burnt land, and the timber map is
splotched with great sblack patches gu
the. way from Puget sound to the
Penobscot. In some parts Of Maine
the burnt area greatly exceeds the
green. In the South the pine and the
cypress are being cut away at an
alarming rate, and in the Pacific states
the Douglas flr and other growths are
being turned into money as rapidly
as possible. 81.
TO make up for all the cutting. lit
tie is being done. Scientific forestry
Is making, some progress, but as yet
efforts in that direction are as nothing
compared with tree slaughter. Re-
forestation Is being carried on In some
states, as on q small scale, in Maine,
but a tree doesn't grow in day. A
big spruce may be fellea In five min
utes, but it's reproduction will re-
quire 40 years.
It is not altogether q question OF
wood supply, either. As the forests go
the floods will come, waterpowers
will fail and all industry will SUI.
fer. Therefore, there must be a lot
of tree planting in this country, else
pretty much everything will 90 by the
board. ~
Advance In Pulp Wood Values. =
The advance In pulp wood values
within 80 months has been remark.
able, even for the times. Before the
entrance Of this country into the war,
peeled wood delivered In the mill yard
in Maine was worth 80 a. cord.
Now the price is $18 in Maine and in
New York states$26 cord. This ad-
vance il due in: part to higher wages
and in part to little proflteering OF. 4
turn Of thrift by the land owners.
Wages before the war, that IL, up to
the spring Of 1917, were $50 to, $95 .
month and board. In 1918 and 1919the
rate jumped to SEQ to $66 a month. and
In some instances. as high ~ So or
$S5 has been paid, lust now, because
Maine Is pretty well stocked, the de-
mand for tabor and the price show q
declining tendency. But in the United
States as whole the supply OF wood
is short of the demand, and there
seems to be no prospect Of lower
prices either Of labor or product.
One operator in Maine. Massa-
chusetts man, who got into the lun,-
Der business through his love Of me-
ture, cut last year on Molunceus and
the east branch Of the Penobscot
10000 cords, or 100000 feet. Of pulp
wood and 100000 feet Of long logs.
and will cut this year 4O,O0o cords; or
100000 feet Of pulp wood, employ
Ing 600 men at $82 month and
board or for piece work, $3.50 to 1870
cord.
The common impression ia that all
wood pulp is made into paper. and
that the increased demand for news
print alone is responsible for the De-
mutation Of our forest lands. It is
true that most Of the pulp goes TO
Satisfyi the appetite OF the printing
presses, but there have been deves.
oped in recent years many and varl-
Gus other uses for the fiber Of tho
spruce and poplar. Innumerab1e
articles are now made Of wood pulp
doors, dishes, buttons, boards, boxes.
pie plates by the million, trunks and
car wheels, and milady who paradeg
the avenue. proud Of her gown Of
tricolette, may be surprised to learn
that in that silken fabric is woven
the fiber Of the spruce-that she owes
something Of the luster and durable
texture Of her flnery to the fragrant
forests Of Mafne.,t1 .'"'s y r*: ~
:. 4. . U =. :: .:.,.s - - VI. go