FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 181 



M-ill lie put to ai>-ricultural use. The topography and the 

 climate assure us that all uncared-for areas will stay tree- 

 covered. 



More deiinitely as to the particular problem of timber 

 supply there are numerous things to be said. Plxhaustion in 

 one sense is a reality. Of that we have had demonstration. 

 The pine that once was the staple of our cut of lumber is now 

 practically gone, and none of like quality is coming on to 

 replace it. Of spruce we know w^e have not to fear such com- 

 plete destruction ; yet partial exhaustion in this direction is 

 known to be possible. We can strij) a country of the best 

 part of its original timl)er. The Kennebec, as may be seen 

 by looking over the logs to be seen from the cars, has already 

 yielded up the Imlk of its old and heavy timber. The small 

 rivers of Washington and Hancock counties are further along 

 on the same road. Years ago due to lum1)ering and ship- 

 building there were located here many prosperous, busy com- 

 munities. Now times have greatly changed. Ship building- 

 has gone altogether. The original stock of soft wood timber 

 has been practically used up, and the people are reduced to 

 handling that amount of limber which the country, crippled 

 by fire and heedless cutting, can sup):)ly by growth. This is 

 but a fraction of the former cut and far inferior m quality, 

 made up mostly of hemlock, fir, small sjiruce and second 

 growth pine. And yet down to a very recent date the men 

 in control of the business thought supplies were inexhaustible. 

 About thirty years ago, for instance, a great fire raged on the 

 East Machias river, and men let it burn without hindrance or 

 thinking much about it l)eeause they thought however much 

 might l)e destroyed they still had enough. A careful study 

 of the history and resources of these eastern rivers would be 

 a very instructive matter. 



Exhaustion of the original stock is a reality and it is cer- 

 tain that in time our larger rivers will reach it. This is, how- 

 ever, in itself nothing to be deprecated, nothing even to 

 lament. That timber standing there we believe we have a 

 riirht to, a ri<rlit to use it with all the other resources and 



