The state herald., 1920-03-26

tlon-mtll6 OF INC ooutn naNe NOS
More Than 10 to is Years Supply
Of Virgin Lumber-Enlaroed Pro.
gram Of Public Acquisition Of For
ests Urged.
The rate of depletion Of the forests
Of this country is more than twice,
probably three times, what is actually
being produced by growth In form
serviceable for products other than
firewOod Consequently. high prices OF
lumber are not wholly due to in.
creased costs OF production. An impor-
tant factor is the ever-retreating
sources OF timber supply. Already the
supplies of all the great eastern GEN.
tiers of production are approaching ex.
haustlon. with the exception Of the
South. and even there most OF tn,
mills have not over 10 to IL years
supply Of virgin timber. Already the
southern pine is being withdrawn frora
many points us n competitive factor
and Its place taken by western tim
bers. This inevitably results in added
freight charges. which the consumer
must pay.
Want Enlarged Program.
These facts are called to public nt.
tention In the annual report OF the for.
ester of the United States department:
Of agriculture. recently published
Their presentation is accompanied by
plea that the nation adopt an en-
larged program OF public acquisition
Of forests by the government. the
states and municipalities. md protec-
tion and perpetuation OF fores.
growths on all privately owned land,
which may not better be used for agrt.
culture and settlement.
In the early years OF the prcscn,
century II looked rs though the man.
ngement OF forests MS permanent. pro
ductlve properties might be voluntarily
undertaken by private owners on o
large scale. but since then the situa
tion has materially changed. The neeo
for the adoption Of an enlarged pro
gram OF acquisition. the United State.
department Of agriculture points out
has become increasingly urgent.
Must Join Hands.
More than 20 yenrs ago the division
Of forestry. MS It was then called. Offer
ed to give advice and assistance Ia
private timber owners who might wish
to consider applying forest manage
ment TO their properties. by the mid
die OF 1905 requests had been received
for the examination Of private hold
ings. large and small. comprising In
nll 100000 ncrcs OF land. Many Of
these requests were from large lumbe:
companies and other owners OF extcn
siyc timber tracts. On the strength OF
the showing made by the prelIminar;
examinations. n number OF these large
owners entered Into cooperative agree
ments for the preparation Of work
lng plans.
But private forest interests failed to
follow up the beginning. md the goC.
crnmcnt md the states. In the opln.cr
OF the department Of agriculture. n,rsi
Join hands TO work out n program, thai
will correlatc public ars private Of
forts looking TO the protection and
proper administration OF forests. The
function of the federal government
In addition to handling the national
forests, II is suggested. would be 10
stimulate. guide md coordinate state
action md conduct necessary inycsti
cations regarding the best methods Of
forestry. To assist the states In the
classification OF land md to hnrmonizs
action between the different states
The states would niso handle public
property owned by them nnd they
would have further direct scspon
sibillty In connection with the protcc,
tlon and pcrpciuntIon Of private for
est lands.