Conservation of Natural Resources in California. 



85 



had to timber our mines, and for that we used 165,000,000 cubic feet, 

 not board measure, much of which was the best of hardwood. 



If you stood on the top of a tower in the greatest hardwood forests of 

 the South, one sweep of the scythe of civilization would mow it farther 

 than you could see, for one month's use in vehicles, manufactured furni- 

 ture, "and farm implements. Prices for this kind of wood have risen 

 from 25 to 65 per cent since 1899. In seven ye;:v tL.j production of 

 hardwood has fallen off 15 per cent ; and those were the six years of its 

 greatest demand. 



There is absolutely no hope for vehicles and machine makers except a 

 more careful use of the hardwood forests of the South and the South- 

 east; nor indeed can 

 that be called a solution rv - f 

 now. In these forests 

 grow also many softer 

 woods, once scorned. 

 Continually we adjust, 

 compromise, become 

 European and not 

 American. Tight-barrel 

 cooperage is a heavy 

 drain on white oak. In 

 1906 we made 267 mil- 

 lion tight-barrel staves. 

 We sent to Europe last 

 year about five million 

 dollars' worth of white 

 oak staves. Meantime, 

 California can not get 

 casks for her wine, be- 

 cause white oak now 

 costs too much to ship to 

 California. She is trying redwood for wine casks now, and grumbling 

 mightily. Slack-barrel cooperage in elm, gum, beech, basswood, and 

 fourteen other woods not long ago thought worthless, cut 1,097,063,00 

 staves in one year. All these little demands foot up an enormous and 

 menacing total in acreage. 



The highest estimate of our remaining hardwood is four hundred 

 billion feet. For lumber, ties, posts, manufactures, fuel, etc., we use 

 twenty-five billion feet per annum or more. At that rate it will take us 

 sixteen years to use up all the rest of our hardwood if we do not burn 

 it, and if the demand remains the same ! A pleasant prospect, is it not ? 



Waste of timber in the Yellowstone Park, 

 descendants will bitterly rue this loss. 



Our 



