Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-22
FORESTS SOON To
Be EXHAUSTED, IS
WARNING BY j. s.
Rate of Depletion More Than
Twice What Is Being Pro-
.duCed, Says Agricultural
Department.

ESPECIAL coRRssPoHoEHeE TO MORNING JoUHHALl
Waship gton. Dec 21.--The rate of
depletion of the forests of this coun-
try IS more than twice. probably three
times, what is actually being produced
by growth in form serviceable for
products other than firewood. Con-
seduently, high prices of lumber are
not wholly due to increased costs OF
PRODUCTION. An important factor, is
the ever-retreating sources OF timber
supply, Already the supplies OF. all
the great eastern centers of produce
tion are approaching exhaustion. with
the exception of the south. and even
there most of the mills have not over
ten to fifteen years supply OF virgin
timber Already the southern pine
is being withdrawn from MANY points
as a competitive factor and its place
taken by western timbers. This in
charges. which the consumer must
These facts are called to public at
tention in the annual report of the
ment, of agriculture. recently pub
lished. Their presentation is accom-
panied by a plea that the nation
adopt an enlarged program of public
ACQUISITION of forests by the govern
ment the states and municipalities.
and protection and perpetuation of
forest growths on all privately owned
lands which may not better be used
for agriculture and settlement.
In the early years of the present
century it looked as though the man
agement of forests as permanent, pro-
ductive properties might be voluntar-
ily. undertaken by private owners on
large scale. but since then the sit
uation has materially changed. The
need for the adoption of an enlarged
program of acquisition. the United
States department of agriculture
points. out. has, become increasingly
urgent. More than twenty wears ago
the division Of forestry as it was then
called. Offered to give advice and as
sistance to private timber owners who
might wish to consider applying forest
management to their properties. BY
the middle of 1905 requests had been
received for the examination of pri-
waite holdings. large and small. COM
prising in all 100000 acres of land,
Manv of these REQUESTS were from
large lumber companies and other
owners Of extensive timber tracts. ON
the strength of the showing made by
the preliminary examinations, a num-
Der of these large owners entered
into cooperative agreements for the
prenaration of working plans.
But private forest interests failed
TO follow up the beginning. and the
government and the states, in the
oninion of the department of agricul-
ture must Join hands to work out
program that will correlate public
and private efforts looking to the pro-
lection and proper administration of
forests. The function of the federal
government. in addition to handling
the national forests. it is suggested.
would be to stimulate. guide and CO.
ordinate state action and conduct
necessary investigations regarding the
best methods Of forestry to assist the
states in the classification of land.
and to harmonic action between the
different states. The states would
also handle public property owned, by
them and thev would have further
direct responsibility in connection
with the protection and perpetuation
of private forest lands.
With regard to the federal attitude
toward private forestry. it is suggest
ed that the government would work
primarily through state agencies. To
initiate the proposed policy. a federal
law would. be necessary authorizlnk
the government to cooperate with
the states in bringing about the pro-
lection and right handling of forest
lands within their borders and pro-
Vidinp means for SIIch CO. ODeratifyll.