30 FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



A State that has to inaport its timber, from a want of virgin forests, 

 is unfortunate, but the State once covered with magnificeDt forests, 

 which haa now to import lumber for home consumption, is in a 

 deplorable condition. 



States once thought to have an unlimited supply of timber have 

 now to import more or less from other states. Even Maine with her 

 boasted unlimited forests has to bring hard pine from the South, 

 white pine from the Northwest, and other lumber from various places. 

 Of the one hundred and eighty millions of white pine cut on the 

 Penobscot in 1886, the most of it was first-class lumber that would 

 now bring forty dollars per thousand. Of the twenty-nine millions 

 cut in 18S7, only about ten millions was first-class lumbar, the 

 remainder being second growth timber only suitable for box board 

 lumber. 



Most of the prairie states have imported their timber from the 

 beginning. To supply this increasing demand inroads are being 

 made upon the forest areas of such states as still have more than 

 e lOugh for home consumption. This is the condition of affairs in 

 Maine. Tbe increasing demands upon our timber to supply the 

 wants of other states has drawn our lumbermen into the pitfall of 

 devastating forests and destroying the conditions necessary for 

 naiural reforestation in the hope of present gain, until the future of 

 our forest has become a matter of State concern. Maine is one 

 among the sisterhood of slates and should be interested in all 

 measures for the good of the nation. 



Prof. B. E Fernow, Cbief of the Forestry Division of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, in his annual report says: "It has become 

 evident in spite of the enormous supplies which seemed to be availa- 

 ble, ihat our natural forests are being rapidly redaced, both by an 

 increased demand and by wasteful practices, and it is now safe to 

 say that the annual consumotion of wood and wood products is at 

 least double the amount reproduced on our present forest area. The 

 forest under proper management is capable of furnishing continuous 

 crops, and therefore as a source of constant supply demands national 

 legislation." 



"It has become evident that with the unrestrained scourge of fire 

 and the destruction by herding and other malpractices now prevalent, 

 and in the absence of all rational forest management not only is the 

 remaining forest deteriorated in material value, but large tracts of 

 land are converted into absolule deseits or useless barrens. A 



