The Mankato free press., 1923-06-15
TIMBER SHORTAGE IS IN.
EVITABlE.

A period of severe timber short
age in the United States in newt
BILE according to the Forest SER
vice, in an article in the 1922 Year
book of the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture, entitled "Tim-
ber: Mine or Crop?" The evil effects
or having treated the forests OF
extract the timber without regard
, or proper methods of growing new
timber crops are discussed. Amer
lean standards of living and much
or our industry have been developed
upon Timber supplies so abundant
and cheap that the United States to-
day IS the largest consumer of wood
in the world" states the Forest
Service article. 1--WE now use nearly
half the lumber, more than half the
paper, and about two fifths the
wood in all forms. We produce from
two thirds to three fourths of the
naval stores. The timber to supply
our demand has been mined from the
forest much as coak has been mined
from the ground"
The original forest lands of the
country, according to the bulletin,
totaled S22,000,000 acres and the
stand OF timber on that original area
is eonservatively estimated at $500
billion board feet, probably having
been far more. Today the forest land
area is but 470,000.000 acres and the
timber stand is reckoned at 1900
billion feet of virgin timber and 500
billion feet additional of culled and
second growth stands. The rate Of
timber consumption in the United
States, including loss by fire and
other destructive agencies, is nearly
four times as great as the rate of
timber growth, it is also stated, the
countrys requirements amounting
to about twenty three cubic feet
each year while but approximately
six billion cubic feet is being grown.
Although timber is growing on per-
haps 250,000,0O0 acres of our forest
land, the crop is so poor and SO sub
ject to damage that the land is pro
ducing but small part of what it
could produce under forest manage
ment. .-es-e- -.
However, according to the data
contained in the article, if the entire
forest area of the country-470, ,O00,-
600 acres-were placed under inten-
sive forestry about twenty. seven
billion cubic fet could ultimately be
produced each year. This amount
margin. IT. -.
This production, however, can no:
he brought about in a short time"
continues the article tTC make tEs
practice of intensive forestry unf-
versal or even the rule throughou:
the United States will be possible
only through gradual progress. Ii
will require the development OF
scientific knowledge and technical
methods OF timber growing ompar-
able with what has slowly and al
large cost been obtained for agricuf.
tura1 crops. II win require effectiys
protection against fires. It will re-
quire methods OF cutting the mature
timber that assure prompt and com
plete reforestation. 1T will REQUIRE
the selection and concentration of
growth on the best species In each
region. 1t will require cultural op-
eratlons, such as trimmings, which
in European countries yield, and In
this country may be- expected %
yield, a revenue from forest land
before the main crop reaches ma
turity. 1t will require q cut SO regu-
lated that only the mature timDer
will be taken, and no more than the
total growth OF the whole forest.
Even il intensive forest manage,
mept could be applied instantly 10
the entire area Of forest land In tho
United States, II would take a gen
GRAFTON or two to bring about forest
conditions as favorable to high pro-
duction as those now to be found OF
small ereas in this country or over
large areas under forect manage
ment il Europe. Further, since tho
timber crop requires several decad-
cs to grow to maturity. though fun
stand OK the right kinds OF trees
oil Low
by some magic overnight, /: would
DO 80 years at least before new
growth would, under average con-
dttions. attain sufficient size to our
nlsh even low grade material. In
short. with the utmost that can BE-
dcne many years, must pass before
We can make our forests produce
through growth as much timber az
Is now yearly taken from them. and
q period OF shortage is iasscspable."
Thirteen Aonps,s Go. P,Ifh '.E"N