The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-09-13


Be Forced to Close for Lack of Ma
teriaronly Two Years Supply of
Pine at Present.
CONCORD, Sept 13.-The state for
estry department is taking account of
stock to ascertain approximately how
great an area it has of unproductive
forest land, and State Forester j. IL.
Foster has figures to show that q
cruise by his field staff through go
towns situated chiefly south of the
White Mountain region has disclosed
that 81 per cent of forest lands in the
sections surveyed are either completely
idle or in a condition to produce only
inferior cordwood. During the next
six weeks, the state forester hopes to
complete his survey of the forest areas
of the state and compile his report
which will be submitted to the incom-
ing legislature, as requested by the leg
islature of 19l9-1920.
Mr.. Foster, during an interview with
a Union Leader representative, regard
ing the study being made of the forest
areas in the state said: "The area in
the 90 towns visited, containing mer-
charitable timber is 335, 900 acres, or 10
per cent of the area eruised. This mer-
charitable timber contains SO per cent
pine, 81 per cent spruce and 27 per
cent of all other kinds of timber
hardwoods, hemlock and poplar. One
may get better idea of the amount
of pine when told that this area con-
tains 834, 900, 900 board feet. As to how
long this supply of pine would last, if
continually logged, one can easily fl
cure when told that the annual cut of
pine in the state is about 400,000,O00
board feet.
cam interesting feature of this study
of our forest lands is the area of young
valuable growth, there being 5S8.00O
acres of this growth or % per cent of
the area visited by the field men. The
total area of the state is approximately
100000 acres.
"Of the area visited 33 per cent is
soft woods, pine and spruce; % per
cent is mixed soft and hard wood, and
2S per cent is wholly hard wood. This
% per cent of young valuable timber
must be protected as it is nearing mer-
charitable condition.
''The area of waste or land with in
ferior growth found in the 90 towns
surveyed is 10000 acres-34 per cent
of the area covered. These areas have
been badly burned or so badly cut as
to show but little prospect of getting
a growth back on the land.'
Referring to the enormous demands
being made upon the forests of the
state, Mr.. Foster said Gin 10 or IL
years a great part of the merchantable
timber in. New Hampshire will have
been cut and there viii be a distinct
shortage"
Discussing the heavy demand for
spruce and poplar for pulp, to be con.
verted into print paper, Mr.. Foster
said that the time is almost at hand
when the mills of the paper manufac-
turers in New England must close for
want of timber. He pointed to the
number of idle paper. mills and said
that eventually recourse will have to
be made to the forests in Alaska as the
Canadian timber areas cannot stand
the strain indefinitely He said that
the time is near at hand when the
greater part of the sawmills in New
Hampshire viii have to decrease pro-
duction. 1t is because of the rapid de-
crease in the state s forest resources
that an inventory is to be presented to.
the legislature to the end that a de-
cided move may be made to conserve
the valuable young growth and to i'm
press. upon the owners of cut-over areas
the necessity for planting the pine and
spruce.