The Caucasian., 1920-01-16
NATIONS FORESTS
BEING DEPLETED
Great Eastern Centers Of Pro-
duction Near Exhaustion.
!, S. FORESTER URGES ACTION

Hioh Prices OF Lumber Not Wholly
Due to Increased Costs Of Produc-
tion-MilIs Of the South Have Not
More Than 10 to IS Years Supply
of- Virgin Lumbsr-EnIarged Pro-
gram Of Public Acquisition % 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 a 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 CEN
ters of production are approaching ex-
haustion, with the exception of the
South, and even there most of the
mills have not over 10 to Is years
supply of virgin timber Already the
southern pine is being withdrawn from
many points as 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 at
tention in the annual report of the for.
ester of the United States department
Of agriculture, recently published.
Their presentation is accompanied by
a plea that the nation adopt an en-
larged program of public acquisition
of forests by the government, the
states and municipalities, and protec-
tion and perpetuation of forest
growths on all privately owned lands
which may not better be used for agri-
culture 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 voluntarily
undertaken by private owners on a
large scale, but since then the situa-
ton has materially changed. The need
for the adoption Of an enlarged pro-
gram of acquisition, the United States
department of agriculture points out,
has become increasingly urgent.
Must Join Hands.
More than 20 years ago the division
of forestry, as it was then called, offer.
ed to give advice and assistance to
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
| all 100000 acres of land. Many Of
| these requests were from large lumber
companies and other owners Of exten.
sive timber tracts. On the strength Of
the showing made by the preliminary
! examinations, number Of these large
| owners entered into cooperative agree
| ments for the preparation of work.
| ing plans.
But private forest interests failed to
follow up the beginning, and the gov
ernment and the states, In the opinion
of the department of agriculture, must
| join hands to work out program that
will correlate public and private eff.
| forts looking to the protection 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 coordinate state
action and conduct necessary investi.
cations regarding the best methods Of
forestry, to assist the states In the
classification of land, and to harmonic
| action between the different states.
I The states would also handle public
property owned by them and they
would have further direct respon-
| sibility in connection with the protec-
tion and perpetuation of private for
est lands.