The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-07
CLASSIFY WOODLANDS
IN INDIANA; MEANS
REDUCTION OF TAXES
Especial to The Palladium

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, June =
Charles c. DEAN, state forester under
the state department of conservation,
has begun the inspection of woodlands,
owners of which have petitioned for
classification as forest land.
For the purpose of encouraging priv
ate forestry that idle acres of this
state be put to work, and to prevent,
as far as possible, further clearing OF
the remnant of forests, the last legls-
lature passed a law enabling owners
of native or planted forests to classify
same as forest lands and have it as
sessed at 81 per acre. Mr.. Dean says
hundreds of landowners have written
for inspection and that by fall he ex-
poets to have visited practically each
| of the go counties of the state. The
result will be, he says, that thousands
| of acres of small timber tracts which
owners intended clearing, will be left
| to timber production.
According to Dean, Hoosiers do not
appreciate the tremendous need of for
ests for it was only until recent years
/ that public attention was called to the
nearly exhausted timber stocks. In
prairie countries millions of dollars
are now being spent to produce GER
tain amount of timber. In other coun-
tries, he point out, much money is
spent annually to reforest. Indiana,
: once possessed of the greatest hard
wood forests in the world, is just
awakening to the fact that her once
| priceless timber resources are fast dis
appearing-in fact almost gone"
Forests play a most important part
in the life of mankind. They absorb
rainfall and check water thus prevent
ing devastating floods. Many springs
and we'll which 90 years ago had an
abundant supply of pure water are to-
day slowly drying up. The water
level of this state has lowered several
feet in the last half century, Mr.. Dean
declares.
+ Effect On Health.
/ He points out that wild life of the
forests help check the numerous in
set pests attacking crops, and that
birds in the role of eradicators of in,
sects and weed seeds are highly ap
preciated by farmers. Further, the
effects of forests on public health are
important and far reaching. Leaves
and branches filter dust out of the all
in the same fashion that charcoal re
moves impurities from rainwater. The
IbGIedItOHdI value Vi 1OIGSlS 10 COIl
handing national attention. A plenti
full supply of fuel timber assures pub
lie comfort in the winter despite a
miners strike The late was demon
strated as never before the absolute
need of timber.
A celebrated war lord says the nAxt
war will be fought from the air, and
that a forest Is the only retreat from
an enemy army China and it's desc
late regions and starving inhabitants
offeral liberal lesson what some of oul
southern hill counties might revert tC
if there were no trees to retain sol
: fertility, prevent erosion and soil wash
, from the scabrous hillsides.
These are a few of the reasons why
Indiana should grow timber. at Least
sufficient for its own needs, Dean
/ contends. Another is the fact the peo
pleof this state pays hundreds oil
: thousands of dollars each year in
! freight charges to bring the needed
timber here from distant states. Sew
, enty thousand people in Indiana de
rive a livelihood from wood-using in
) dustries, yet 80 percent of the timber
: required is imported.
The state conservation department
: at two forest nurseries will this year
produce and sell at low prices to wood
land owners, thousands of seedlings
: Mr.. DEAN says.