The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-01-29

81 have sought to emphasize the thought of re-
forestation, because think it is highly essential
for the United States of America to ever be think
ing of selfreance. We are so blessed with Gods
bounty so varied in productivity and so bound
less in our resources that the combination Of
American genius and a commta to conservation
and cultivation will leave us Independent OF the
resources or the activities of the remainder of the
world"
Virgin forests of the United States covered 800
million acres, the American Forestry association
points out. They are now shrunk to onesixth
of that area All classes Of forest land, including
culled burned, and cut-over areas now aggregate
1863 million acres, little more than one-half
of our original forests. OF the forest land re-
naming and not utilized for farming any other
purpose approximately 81 million acres have been
so severely cut and burned as to become an I'M
productive waste. This area is equivalent to the
combined forests of Germany, Holland Denmark
Belgium, France, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal
There is consumed or destroyed every year. Sc
billion board feet Of material of saw timber size
The total yearly consumption of all classes of
timber is about % billion cubic feet. Our de-
pleted forests are growing less than one-fourth
of this amount The United States is not only
cutting heavily into its remaining virgin forests
every year. but IS also using up the smaller ma
teral upon which the future supply of saw TIM
Der depends much more rapidly than 1t is being
replaced The problem Is of the present as
well as the future. /,
The American Forestry association is making
a vigorous campaign for congressional legislation
establishing a national forest policy. 1t has an
nounced an outline Of features to be embodied in
this legislation This announcement was made.
following conference in New York attended by
the following: rs
Gilbert I'll Baker and S. P. Weston, representing
the sAmerican/ Newspaper Publishers association;
George w. Sisson Jr.. D. A. Croker w. e. Has
kell, r. S. Kellogg, and c. ii. Worcester. represent
ing the American Paper and Pulp association; E.
W. Mccullough chamber of commerce of the Unit
ed States; George s. Long. National Lumber Manu-
facturers' association; E. f. Perry, National
Wholesale Lumber Deaiers' association; e. T.
Allen Western Forestry and Conservation asso-
cation John Foley, Association of Wood Using
Industries Col. William B. Greeley q. s. for
ester; Charles Latlirep Pack and P. S. Ridsdaie
Of the American Forestry association.
Charles Lathrop Pack, president of the Amer
ican Forestry association, thus outlines the pro-
posed legislation:
Authorizing the secretary Of agriculture after
consulting appropriate local agencies to approve
an adequate policy for each state covering the
essentials of fire protection on timbered and re-
stocking lands, reforestation of denuded lands.
and. where and to the extent necessary the cut
ting and removing of timber crops so as to pro-
mote continuous production Of timber on lands
chiefly suitable therefor, and authorizing his CO.
operation in the work required. provided there
is also satisfactory local compliance in state leg
islation or administrative practice. Chief al