Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-25
Taxes and Timber
How Adjust Them?
West Baldwin, Jan.

West BALDWIN, Jan. "A
Editor kennebcc Journal
The United States is consuming
lumber four times as fast as it is
being grown" Massachusetts i'm
ports so per cent. of the lumber she
uses and even New Hampshire i'm
ports 80 per cent" "-At the present
rate of consumption, Louisiana in
1912 years will have only enough
timber for her own, use-none to eX-
port to other states wonder
what meaning such statements con
vey to the average Individual, and
particularly here in Maine, here in
the Pine Tree state. the State of the
big woods" To us who have been
and are so favorably situated as to
timber, I wonder if even the faintest
note of warning is heard in the fore
going statements. Docs it occur to
anyone that what has happened to
other big timber states may happen
to us? This question apparently
gives but few persons any concern.
1t seems to be a popular opinion
that since we always have had tim
Der enough and to spare. that we al
ways will have enough, although
many persons know that our annual
consumption considerably exceeds
the growth
The figures given out on standing
timber, cuttings. fire loss. etc. are 50
large, so enormous. that l believe
they are not comprehended' by the
average individual and conse-
quently he has but slight conccp-
ton as to our actual timber situa-
ton in this State.
Now. in order to bring our figures.
estimates etc, within the compass of
the ordinary mind, and that they
may be absorbed. let us consider only
the pine situation.
We are the biggest white pine
state in the Union. excepting Mime
sofa. Cumberland is one of the two,
perhaps three. biggest pine counties
in the State. and Baldwin has been
considered the biggest pine town
IN the County. Yet. in a recent art
lcle to the Portland Evening Express,
l stated that if lumber operations
continue in this town at the rate
they have for the past ten years
Cover five million feet per ycar) our
standing soft timber of merchant
able size Cover S in.) will not last
five years, i. c. we haven't twenty
hve million left. At the present time.
three portable and two stationary
mills are in operation in the town,
ana they can easily handle six mil
non feet per year. So 1 ask you to
consider the outlook for this town.
NOW, II cutting does continue at this
rate (and who can say it WILL
NOI) within five years we shall
nave standing only the small timber
nine inches in diameter and under
Inat IS, trees now eight inches Gf
lelt standing. as they usually are
iiot) Will grow to nine inches in five
years, and smaller sizes ACCORDINGLY.
Inc average growth of white pine
IS one inch in diameter every four to
seven years. Note the number of
circles to the inch in a sawn log
each circle denotes one years growth
our nine inch timber then will re-
qulre from twenty to thirty-fiye
years to reach fourteen inches. and
our smaller timber will require a
proportlonately longer time. So Won
see there will be a considerable wait
1or the next cutting operations.
You often hear of the very rapid
growth of pine on certain lots. at
tanning mature size in thirty to forty
years. l am quoting the maximum
ana minimum growth for pine in the
~" England states. OF course
there will always be the occasional
lot. not for sale until the death of the
owner, or some other family catas-
trophe, but the occasional lot is only.
a crop IN the bucket of requirements.
Even the average farmer the country
over requires two thousand feet for
his own needs
NOW. in so far as am able to as
certain. Baldwin is no worse off than
the other town in the County. In
February, 1919. Forest Commissioner
CODY estimated the standing pine in
Cumberland County at five hundred
million feet, no minimum size limit
IS mentioned. Later figures or esti-
mates lacking, let us speculate.
Since the merchantable timber in
Baldwin will not last five years. at
present rate of cutting, may We not
predict the same thing for the other
towns in the County? Or again, if
fifteen of the twenty-five towns in
the County (seven towns having
practically no pine) average twenty
million feet lover eight inches)
standing. 800 million, and il each
town cuts but million per year. the