Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-12-29
FOREST PROBLEMS

ice, united states department of ag-
riculture, issued this week.
The problem, continues Colonel
Greeley's statement, has two main
features. The first feature is the
rising cost of timber products. which
is due primarily to heavier trans
pOrtation charges from more and
more distant sources of supply The
cut of lumber is decreasing in all
the eastern states in practically
every state west of the Great Plains
1t is increasing. The large sawmiIls
of the country are in full migration
westward to the last great virgin
timber supply of the Pacific Coast.
During the past 80 years the pineries
Of the South have been the mainstay
Of the densely populated central and
eastern states for the softwood Ium-
Der used in building, in general con-
struction, and in many Manufactures.
Their cost is dWindling. Every vear
scores of sawmills are dismantIed.
The rapid increase in lumber ship.
ments through the Panama Canal
foreshadows the time in the near
future. when the principal source oI
softwood lumber for the entire ma
ton viii have shifted to the west
coast and the average freight cost
paId by the nome builder CT manu-
la''uIef VIII nave advanced 10 d ne"
ana hi&hef level
Nheh the cohilerous virgin timber
OIL lhe lar west Is exhausted in IT.
turn, II the principal source OF sup
ply ShlIts TO Siberia or South Ameri-
ca lhe transportation conditions
"hich control the present lumber
market VIII become different only
IN degree. Further. as the sources
OF supply become more restricted and
more distant from the principal cen
tefS or consumption, opportunities
Ior competition are Iessened; and
temporary shortages due to bad SCI
sons. labor troubles, or congestion
OF transportation facilities are more
probable and more severe.
Ihus the conditions OF the trade
become more favorable to mono
poilSuc control TO violent market
l"cjuatIonS' and to nigh prices. And
we are dealing with basic raw ma
teflaI' as widely used and as neces-
SarN 10 national existence as coal
Ihe second feature OF our forest
pToOIem is the unproductlFe eondl-
uon OF immense areas OF land Which,
are not adapted to agriculture.
me amount OF unproductiTe land
lel' IN the wake OF the saWmills or
abandoned by the farmer has as
Sumed enormous proportions. Chr
merchantahle timber is being cat at
. the rate OF four or five million acres
annually and enormous areas OF
Iogged-o1t land have accumulated
winch are not fit for cultivation but
on winch little or no new timber is
beng grown. The extent to which
these millions OF acres OF idle lan1
nave heeh s"eIIed by the ebbing tide
, va "''o" III many alale9 - net
generally realized. In Is Of the
eastern and east central states the
improved farm land shrank at the
rate OF 100000 acres a year.
There can be no question as 70
the steady shrinkage in the cultivat-
, ed area OF considerable number of
the Oldest and most DOpul0uS states
ANA the consequent lapse OF large
areas OF land into partial or complete
laIeneSs, What to do with unused
r and unproductiYe land is one of the
2 most fundamental economic and So
, claI problems OF the United States.
4 including burned and cut-over
areas ana abandoned fields which
- once grew timber, one-third Of the
soil Of the Union is fpraef lind And