San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-01
RAILROADS
SEEK CONTROL
Of: FORESTS
Mexican Lines Want Their
Own Timber
Supply.
ALREADY HAVE OIL
Faced With Lumber Short
age Because Of Wanton
Destruction.
ALREADY HAVE OIL

Mexico City, March sf.-The Ma
tional Railways of Mexico are well
embarked on their scheme Of owning
their own supply OF fuel oil, drilling
wells on lands the petroleum right OF
which have been purchased from the
government.
Now they propose to insure their
own supply Of lumber and timber by
securing from the government timber
concessions to large tracts Of land,
which will be put into the hands of
forestry engineers to protect and for
the propagation of trees to replace that
cut for their use.
Forests Are Ruined.
At one time Mexico possessed ex-
tensive forests of the very highest class
of timber, but the unchecked butchery
by the Indians, complete razing Of ex-
tensive tracts by revolutionary leaders
who saw in the timber a means of lin
ing their own pockets, and the absolute
destruction Of other tracts by conces-
sionaries with the same object in view,
have greatly reduced the available sup
ply.
In fact, in certain sections timber
of commercial size has practically dis
appeared, where once stood magnifi-
cent forests of giant trees. Since the
revolution. those who have made a
study of the subject have realized the
condition which has befallen the ma
ton and federal attempts have been
made to chark the destruction and re-
forest the denuded areas, but this ef.
fort has received but little encourage
ment from other than a very small per-
centage of the people.
Trees Are Planted.
On the Mexican Arbor Day, Febru-
airy IA of this year. in one of the sub
urbs of this capital 30 trees were
planted with appropriate ceremonies.
Six weeks later not one of these re-
manned in the ground, having been
pulled up and thrown away in pure
wantoness. Most of the offenders
were adults of the so-called better
class. The Indians make a practice
OF telling large tree sto secure small
timbers. hewing the desired dimension
from a tree, which in many instances
would serve to make q dozen OF the
timbers required.
In these cases the unused part is
left to waste on the ground. The OBJ
stacles to reforestation and the de-
struction of the standing forests suffer
from acts similar to those cited, but
probably the greatest enemy to the
timber resources OF the country are
the agricultural attempts of the ma
tives.
Farmers Ruin Forests.
Having ascertained that the fresh
forest soil produces the most and best
corn. they from time to time clear
small tracts. tumbliny the trees with
out reference to size and utility. When
properly dried these are fired and, as
these clearings are almost Invariably
on the steep slopes of the mountains,
the flames sweep into the surrounding
forests and not infrequently entire
townships are denuded of trees by this
means.
As one Of the native farmers. who
realizes the necessity for conservation
OF the forests, expressed himself:
"They ruin 100000 pesos worth
of timber to raise a crop of two and a
half bushels of corn.
The National Railways are having
A difficult time procuring crossties
and timbers, due to this criminal de-
struction. so they propose hereafter
10 farm their own timber and its care,
propagation and selection will form
distinct department of the administra-
ton.