The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-11-07
TIMBER USED MUCH
FASTER THAN GROWN
Forester Tells of Drain on
Country's Forests.

Washington.-Land use and timbe
supply are the two major problem
confronting the country In its use o
forest lands, according to Colonel WI
liam B. Greeley, chief of the fores
service, Department of Agriculture Il
his annual report he states that tn
annual drain on the country's forest
amounts to 25,000,000,0O0 cubic feet
while growth replaces only 100000,
600 cubic feet. In referring to THU
vast discrepancy between drain anC
growth and the necessity for intensive
forestry practices on all forest land
the report says:
1.-THE investigations conducted dur
ing the year by the select committee
Of the United States senate are one OF
the most helpful and stimulating steps
the federal government has taken In
attacking the reforestatlon problem as
whole, and it is disclosing beyond
doubt or question that the time Is al
hand for enormous progress in timber
growing if public agencies will give
the landowner a fair chance. This
should be our next step in our national
forestry policy"
More timber was cut from the ma
tional forests during the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1923, than ever before
in a similar period, and the receipts
paid into the United States Treasury
were greater than for any previous
year, according to the report. The
amount of timber cut totaled 991, $685.
0G0 board feet; the amount sold was
over 2,000,0OOO0O feet Sales of tim
Der on the national forests are made
only with care to cut no more timber
than the growth in order to insure a
perpetual supply.
Increase in Sales.
The increase in timber sales from
the Alaskan forests during the fiscal
year was 70 per cent over the previous
year. One of the factors affecting the
volume of timber business in the ma
tional forests is the continued westerly
migration of forest industries from the
depleted timber regions of the East, and
this is reflected in sales of timber from
the Western forests.
Fires within the boundaries of the
national forests swept 373,214 acres
It Is reported, and de-
and property valued at .
exclusive of the intangi-
lie and indirect damage to young
growth. recreational uses and water
she'd protection. This area was nearly
equal to that burned in 1921, but the
damage was nearly twice as great be-
cause OF more serious fires in stands
Of merchantable timber. Man-caused
lr gain were responsible for over
1 per cent of the total.
Public opinion must be aroused to
the criminal destruction of the coun-
try's forest lands, whether owned by
he government or privately owned"
n Greeley. For one
ian Of non-producing
4...... ,..4us, upon which so much de-
bends, cannot take place unless fire
S kept out. The fire menace cannot
re overemphasized."
Nearly $4,000 permits to Craze live
took on ranges within the national
orests were issued during the year.
6,851 800 sheep, 1,915,113
attic, 69,640 horses, 39,S89 goats and
1888 swine, exclusive of the animals
nder six months which do not require
grazed on the forest ranges.
several changes in grazing fees and In
he form of permits to be issued will
e made, 1t is expected, with the graz
ng season of 1925.
New Experiment Stations.
Two new forest experiment stations
we're established during the year, one
It Amherst, Mass, to study the forest
of New York and the New
England states, and the other at st.
Paul, Mimi, to cover the lake states.
These stations were established In
keeping with the policy Of extending
he research work to all important
imber-producing regions. :
Among the outstanding accomplish
nents Of the Forest Products labora-
DRY at Madison, Wis, the report {
states, was the formulation of univer- {
;al grading rules for soft wood yard
umber and structural timbers. Stand
ird names for yard lumber were also
Experiments in pulping
processes TO help meet the problem of +
hiding raw material for pulp and pa
er formed another major activity of
he laboratory during the year, as also
Id the study of liln-drying processes
nd Of dimension stock requirements
f wood-using industries.
Construction of roads and trails
Tithn national forests proceeded at a
aster pace than in any previous year.
lightly over 1000 miles of forest | .
Dads and more than 1000 miles of )
'ails were built, bringing the total ,
lileage or roads up to 6S73 and of \
'ails up to 1868. In addition, main :
,nance work was conducted on 1912 |
lies of roads and $4,000 miles of n
'ails. C