MICHIGAN ROADS AND FORESTS. 



FORESTS THE MOST 



IMPORTANT SUBJECT 



(Maurice Quinn, Saginaw.) 



The forests of the United States seem to 

 me to be, today, the most important internal 

 subject which the people should consider, but 

 it is. however, the one to which they give [ 

 the least thought. They give practically no 

 attention io the manner in which the timber 

 is being cut or to tin- rapidity with which 

 the growth of the forest 'lands is being de- 

 pleted. The individual life of man is repre- 

 sented by but a few years, while we hope 

 that the nation will exist for all time; but 

 the present generation, forgetting these things, 

 seek only to destroy, and the lumbermen of 

 our day vie with one another in their zeal 

 to denude the land of its forests. 



The state of Michigan was at one time the 

 storehouse of the world for timber. From 

 the shores of the Saginaw river. Lake Michi- 

 gan and Lake Huron, some of the finest tim- 

 ber that ever grew, white pine, Norway pine, 

 white oak. walnut, ash and elm, was shipped 

 to all part of the world. Twenty billion feet 

 of timber was cut on the Saginaw river within 

 thirty years, in my day. while today boats 

 must bring in lumber for the consumption 

 of the people living along the shores of that 

 river. I could go on at length giving similar 

 examples. 



Question a Serious One. 



This question now confronting the people 

 of this country is both sad and serious and one 

 for which consideration from statesmen and 

 politicians is difficult to secure, as they give it 

 but little earnest thought. Other national ne- 

 cessities can nearly all be produced by artificial 

 means, and thus supply the wants of the peo- 

 ple, but, to have timber suitable for commerce, 

 we must depend entirely upon mother nature, 

 abiding her time, as no other means will avail. 

 The commercial timber being cut during the 

 present year, approximately nearly forty 

 billion feet, while some of it will be as low in 

 age as from thirty to forty years, will all aver- 

 age in age at least one hundred and fifty years. 

 With all this in view, why not begin in a 

 systematic manner to reproduce the forests? 

 Judging from my own experience and obser- 

 vation, this can be accomplished in like man- 

 ner with any other vegetable growth. I have 

 personally examined some of the timber 

 growth in many of the Southern States, includ- 

 ing Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and 

 Louisiana. In the last named state the second 

 growth seems to be more rapid than in any of 

 the others, and in Louisiana I have seen sec- 

 ond growth, some of the trees twenty inches 

 in diameter, growing upon land used for plant- 

 ing cotton thirty-six years ago. 



It does not seem to me that the supply can 

 be kept up by reserving large tracts of land in 

 the western states, so remote from the densely 

 populated sections of the country, that great 

 expense is necessary to even cut the timber, 

 and its transportation would greatly exceed its 

 value. Furthermore, not one-third of the 

 great reserves will ever reproduce timber, as 

 these reserves are composed to a greater or 

 less extent of_ high rocks, mountains and bar- 

 ren plans having no forest growth. 



I have already expressed my views on this 

 subject to many people in the United States 

 and particularlv before the Forestry Conven- 

 tion at Grand Rapids. Michigan, in the fall of 

 1000. This convention was composed of those 

 who were fully aware of the destruction that 

 is being accomplished and who were desirous 

 of preserving some lands for forest purposes, 

 at least in the state of Michigan. My idea, 

 contemplating the reforestation of the states 

 which are now almost denuded of their for- 

 I think would be of great benefit to the 

 whole United States and its people. Ft is as 

 follows: 



Forestry Commission Is Needed. 

 The Government of the United States 



should create a Forestry Commission, com- 

 posed of men of wisdom, who are thinking of 

 the future and not of the present, and who will 

 endeavor to bring about a permanent benefit. 

 The government should then purchase two sec- 

 tions of land in each geographical township 

 situated in the timber-bearing portion of those 

 states from which the vast forests have been 

 and are now being so rapidly denuded. Hav- 

 ing made the purchase of two square miles in 

 each township, fence it if you please, and, if 

 not already forested with timber natural to the 

 soil, sow the seed and properly protect from 

 fire. After the trees have reached a' certain 

 age, sell the timber, say down to twelve inches 

 in diameter, at public auction to the highest 

 bidder with proper restrictions as to the piling 

 and burning of brush and rubbish resulting 

 from the felling of these trees, and thus pre- 

 vent the destruction by fire of the balance of 

 the forest. In this manner the growth can be 

 perpetuated, we will have our forests closer 

 to and within reach of the population, and i; 

 will be of untold benefit to the poor and to 

 those who need timber for fuel and commer- 

 cial purposes. In fact the creation of such a 

 commission and the making of such laws 

 would be more beneficial to the nation at large 

 than any other within my knowledge. 



The carrying out of this idea in the follow- 

 ing states and portions thereof would be of 

 the greatest benefit to the largest number of 

 people. Commence, if you please, with the 

 state of Maine; then the northern part of New 

 Hampshire, Vermont, the northern part of 

 Xcw York, that portion of Pennsylvania upon 

 which once grew the white pine forests and 

 the portions which once grew forests, of Ohio. 

 West Virginia. Old Virginia, Kentucky, Ten- 

 essee. North and South Carolina, Georgia. 

 Florida. Alabama. Mississippi, Louisiana. 

 Texas. Arkansas, Missouri, part of Indian Ter- 

 ritory. Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, all 

 oi which timber-bearing states would, from 

 seed of trees indigenous to the soil, reproduce 

 forests for commercial purposes in at least 

 sixty-five to seventy-five years. 



acres. From this it would appear that the 

 government can procure large holdings from 

 these people without any cost whatever. All 

 it would have to do would be to plant the pine 

 and take care of it. 



Must Reap the Whirlwind. 



They are now taking timber from Louisiana 

 and sending it to North Dakota, and unless 

 some such plan is adopted, although they 

 claim to have abundance of timber there, I 

 venture to say that, in twenty-five years, they 

 will themselves in Louisiana be compelled to 

 procure it from some other source. Of what 

 use can the forest preserves in California be 

 to the poor individual in Louisiana? How can 

 he afford to purchase timber manufactured 

 and brought that distance? Under my plan, if 

 he lived in a geographical township, "he could 

 buy timber from the government within prob- 

 ably six or eight miles from his own door and 

 the timber will always be there. 



Of course the men who are slaughtering the 

 timber, for the present generation, will not 

 listen for a moment to these suggestions, but 

 unless something is done, the time will soon 

 come when the nation will find itself face to 

 face with a timber panic. 



Much more could be said on the subject, and 

 if anyone wishes to go in detail with a view 

 to have such a bill passed by congress, I am 

 ready at any time to give all the information 

 I have and all the assistance in my power 

 toward the matter of the reforestation of the 

 United States. 



In conclusion. I would suggest that the gov- 

 ernment, instead of purchasing any more 

 forest reserve lands in the mountains of Cali- 

 fornia. Oregon and Washington, apply such 

 funds to the purchase of lands, in the south- 

 ern states, from which the timber has been 

 cut and reforest the same. I may add that I 

 have talked with many land owners in the 

 south and inquired how much land they would 

 give the government without pay, if forest 

 preserves were created in the regions where 

 the timber has been cut. Some said one thou- 

 nnd others three thousand acres, and one man 

 in Florida said he would give ten thousand 



THE PEOPLE ARE PLANTING. 



The value of forest planting is much more 

 generally appreciated than is usually known. 

 The following letter is one of many: 



The suggestions made in answer were, 

 briefly: 



(1) The walnut planting is good; generally 

 it is well to plant in rows and cultivate one 

 or two seasons. 



(2) Not to trim until fifteen to twenty feet 

 tall. 



(3) To thin out as soon as the trees show 

 effects of crowding. 



(4) The maple and beech probably have 

 suffered from 'former ground hre. Thin out 

 and remove all defective stuff, even at the 

 risk of having the remaining trees a bit limby. 



(.">) As to the Ogemaw tract wait until we 

 get better tire protection, and simply let things 

 grow at present as best they may. 



Otsego, Mich., Dec. (i, 190S. 

 Commissioner of Forestry, 

 Lansing, Mich. 



Dear Sir: About live years ago I' came into 

 possession of a piece of land on which there 

 was a side hill, which it was not advisable 

 to plow and cultivate, as the heavy rains 

 would cau.se washouts and thus waste up the 

 land: so concluded to plant this side hill to 

 walnut for future timber supply. 1 have 

 planted some each fall since, and with what 

 I have this fall I think I have all the trees 

 the land can grow. 1 first began planting 

 in rows from west to cast, as the slope is 

 from east toward west; but as my first plants 

 grew more spreading .tops than I wished them 

 to I changed my plan of planting this fall 

 and planted in groups one nut in center with 

 five or six around it at a distance of about 

 two feet thinking in this way to encoti 

 the center one to grow taller, and then in 

 time to cut away the other five or six when 

 not needed. 



\'o\v that I have the plants well started I 

 \\ould like reliable advice as to the proper 

 f them. I planted the black walnut be- 

 cause it seemed to be naturally adapted to 

 the soil. Shall I let the young plants alone 

 and let nature direct their growth, or shall 

 I trim them; and, if so. when shall I trim 

 and how? 



I also have Fifteen acres of beech and maple 

 timber on sandy loam splendid land but I' 

 notice that many of my small trees from two 

 to -:\ inches in diameter die. I am anxious 

 for them to live and thus renew the timber 

 uTowtli. I think it an indication that some 

 timber should be cut out, but do not feel 

 competent to judge which should be taken 

 out. As I notice the timber next to the cleared 

 land grows limbs and is short-bodied and 

 not desirable, I think great care should be 

 exercised in the care of this timber lot. If 

 you can offer any suggestion that will aid me 

 I will be very thankful. 



I also own an interest in MOO acres in 'the 

 Township of Klacking. in the county of Oge- 

 maw, about eight miles from the city of West 

 Branch. The timber has been cut off down 

 to about six-inch stuff. I would like to take 

 care ot this in some way so that it will re- 

 forest itself, but do not know what is the 

 thing to do with it. What is the State For- 

 estry Commission doing with state land thac 

 is being reforested? Perhaps there is some 

 way of caring for this young timber that I 

 do not know, and would like your advice. 

 Yours respectfully. 



A. E. S. 



FORESTRY STUDENTS IN PRACTICAL 

 WORK. 



Seniors in the forestry class at the Michigan 

 Agricultural College are receiving training of 

 a very practical nature in the lumber camps 



