606 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



available, the western species are gradually taking its place. Except 

 for special use as construction timbers, the competing species are no 

 better suited to the purpose for which used than the native white pine. 

 But on account of the large available supplies, they tend to set a value 

 for white pine and to limit the advance in its price. It is evident that 

 a growing scarcity of white pine will not raise its price in proportion, 

 but will result instead in an increased demand for all competing species. 

 Eventually this process of competition, if allowed to exercise full con- 

 trol, will make the people of the Lake States entirely dependent upon 

 southern and western forests for their supply, and will mask the great 

 necessity of developing a local supply on our extensive nonagricultural 

 lands. 



A perpetual svipply of timber at a reasonable prige is much to be 

 desired from an industrial and economic standpoint. The presence of 

 such a supply would render unnecessary the planting and care of 

 thousands of acres of forest in the Lake States. But have we such a 

 supply? W. B. Greeley estimates that the southern pineries in thirty 

 years will be unable to supply more than a local demand. The western 

 forests are being thrown upon the market, often at a loss, because of 

 exorbitant taxes and the necessity of paying a high rate of interest 

 on borrowed money. All the evidence leads to the conclusion that our 

 supply of timber is going to be merely temporary, and that the price 

 will eventually reach the cost of production under a system of forestry 

 practice. When such a time comes, production on Minnesota land in 

 the Lake States will be just as cheap as production on western land. 



But suppose that we are assured a supply of western timber 

 adequate for all of the needs of the State for fifty years. Is entire 

 dependence on that supply economically advantageous? In this con- 

 nection the great importance of the transportation charges paid is 

 generally overlooked. Following are the average rates per thousand 

 feet to Minneapolis from the different producing regions: Southern 

 pine, $8; Douglas fir, $11.25; western pine, $8.75; Idaho white pine, 

 $8; northern pine, $1.40. 



It is evident from the above list that every thousand feet of west- 

 ern and southern pine received at Minneapolis costs the consumer 

 more in freight charges than the same amount would if shipped from 

 the northern pine producing region. This excess may well be regarded 

 as a premium paid to the railroads for the privilege of using certain 

 kinds of lumber which are in most cases no better suited to the purpose 



