Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-08-27
Hit or Miss numbering Program Succeeded
by Substantial Yield System in Forests
By aTHE FOREST RANGER"


an unfenabIe fantasy. Since time Inn
memorial the trees have been mans
indispensable ally and today their vital
appuFtenance to his happy existence Is
| not q whit diminished. No suitable sub
stitute has even been invented for a
tree and not even the bravest pr0gn0s-
ticator cares to predict that there ever
win be.
Glorious as it may be in some places,
! air-conditioning has by no means
| created an incentive to slight the cool,
! pine-scented shade of the woodlands.
| Ever increasing multitudes flocktng to
the forests bear adequate witness to
the fact that man-made entertainment
has fallen far short of replacing OUT
door recreation and the boy, who, for
lack Of a tree, must resort to climbing
scaffolding or grimy ladders, is still
looked upon with unuttered compass
sion. Dams, big and small, are an in
tegral part of adequate water conser-
walton, but without the forests to hold
the soil in place on the steep water
sheds these masterpieces Of mans
might and ingenuity would be nothing
more than futile and expensive land
marks dottlng an eroded waste.
In view of the popular conception
that this Is an age of cement and steel,
it may be enlightening to note that the
UEAld4l0 lOI AhlAAJCA HOO AAOg kAANAeSA Aee%4y
decreased. For all the modernistic
housing innovations man still main
tains an Unsuitable desire for wood
homes and wood furnishings. More
convenient and efficient fuels have
been introduced to take the place OF
the antiquated hearth log, but no one
has ever unearthed a cheerier or more
comforting warmth than that emanat-
ing from an open wood fire. Whenever
a supply of wood is available thriving
fuelwood industries sti1 exist.
Supports 10000 Persons
Here in the northern Rocky noun |
tain region since the first crude saw
mill was established at Virginia City, |
Mont, the lumber business has been
one of the leading industries and as
such has written a virile chapter in
the history of the west Today with |
private investments running into hun
dreds of millions of dollars it represents /
the sole support Of nearly 10000 in
dividuals.
AS an example of the present impor-
lance of the wood working industry TO
the economic welfare Of the region,
statisticians of the northern Rocky
mountain forest and range experiment
station have found that the average
annual timber cut from private, state
and federally owned forests In Mon
tana, northern Idaho and northeastern
washington amounts to approximately
is represented enough lumber to build
more than $4,000 average modern
American homes.
A major share in this tremendous
timber cut actually goes into nilled
lumber for homes and other types OF
construction, but lumber is by no
means the only product derived. OF al
most equal Importance and included In
the foregoing figure are fueiwood 70
and telegraph poles to carry the great
networks. match blocks
for making the Indispensable fire sticks,
ties and bridge timberS to aid
the nations commerce, stulls and props
for the mines, posts for fencing the
vast western ranges, pulpwood for max
ing prfntstock on which world events
are daily carried to the reader, and
piling for distant wharfs. Although not
yet IN the process OF manufacture, "
has been found that certain Of our
species are also adaptable TO the max
ing Of rayon, plastics, explosives, lac
1uers, alcohol, acids and other products
TOO numerous to mention, all OF which
may some day materially increase local
and the value Of sur for
sst resources.
Supply Seemed InexhaustfbIe
When loggers and 1umbermen first
came to the northern Rockies dense
'orests-ripe and ready to cut
stretched across the ridges and valleys
n astonishing grandeur. In the boom
ng development of America expanding
markets were calling for more and
more timber and here, practically free
or the taking, was a tremendous
source Of supply apparently mex
laustible.
AT the turn of the century the sinewy
nv Of "T1mber-r" became a lusty re-
rain rising in cadence until 1925 wnen
IN all time high was reached and Il
1911 ,I61 900 board feet roared through
he regions mills. The development OF
he lumber industry on rush pro-
iuction" basis was q natural and IN
.vitable result of that epoch In the
lation'S history Man was building as
,e had never built before and all other
lses of the forest were sidetracked to
meet the demand for wood.
In recent years, however, time mas
wrought head-spinning changes ana, In
certain sections the scene has unoer-
zone spectacular alteration. IN meet ~
NO the UNPRECEDENTED demand Tor
wood, uncomfortable fires and ''hi-ban'
ogging methods cut wide swaths across
portions of the country and while mil
ions Of acres Of our mountain lands
ire now growing a prolific new crop OF
rees on such areas it will be many
ears before this second growth WILL
gain be ready to meet mans needs.
The great forests that greeted the
yes of the early loggers do not appear
d inexhaustibIe now as they did then
nd the fact that trees do not Just
row" like the ulustrious TopSy, Is
Ielaved but certain conclusion gradu-
lllv fastening itself on the public mind.
Toresters have long advised us, and
many q doubling Thomas has come to
,elieve, that timber Is Just as much
ron as wheat or watermelons and as
uch It must be regenerated, protected,
managed and carefully harvested just
Ike any other growing product OF Cne
oil.
Annual Timber Drain
Foresters also state that permanent
wood working industries and secure
unlbering communities can be obtained
MY through balancing the amount OF
imber cut with the amount of timber