20 Forestry Quarterly 



been exhausted. It was the center of this export in 1650, which 

 is so graphically described by Cornelius Van Tienhoven, Secre- 

 tary of the province of New Netherland, in his ''Information 

 relating to taking up land in that province m 16^0", which is to 

 be found in the Documentary History of New York, Vol. 4, 



P- 25. 



After describing the revenue to be derived from agriculture, 

 he proceeds to point out as an inducement to colonization that 

 revenue can be obtained bj' industry from the products of the 

 forest, as follows: "Such as the making of pot and pearl ashes, 

 clapboards, knees for shipbuilding, staves, all sorts of pine and 

 oak plank, masts for large ships, square timber and ash and 

 hickory planks in which a staple trade could be established. 

 The English of New England put this in practice, as is to be 

 seen, after the land had been brought to proper condition ; they 

 sell their provisions at the Caribbean Islands, staves at Madeira 

 and the Canaries, masts and fish in Spain and Portugal and bring 

 in return all sorts of commodities, so much of which returns as 

 they do not consume are again distributed by them throughout 

 all the islands known and inhabited in the Northern part of 

 America. So that through the variety of the returns, which of 

 necessity was received, a profitable trade is already established 

 in New England which can also be right well set on foot by the 

 Netherlands, if the population of the country were promoted." 



From the above statement it seems that the Netherlanders had 

 not begun to manufacture or export lumber at this time. 



About the time of the making of the 'regulations to prevent 

 waste in the cutting of clapboard and pipe-stave timber, it was 

 found necessary by several of the New England colonies to make 

 stringent regulations designed to guard against damage to the 

 woods by fires. Great forest fires must have occurred in those 

 early days as they have frequently occurred since. 



Williamson tells us of a great forest fire that occurred one 

 hundred j^ears later, which began in New Hampshire and spread 

 into Maine. He says : " Early in July, 1762, devouring fires did 

 immense damage to the woods in New Hampshire and spread in- 

 to Maine. Thej^ burst forth from the woods of New Hampshire 

 and burning with irresistible fury passed through Towok (now 

 lyebanon) in Maine, and being driven by the winds to the east- 

 ward, entered Scarborough, Gorham town, New Casco (Port- 



