Forest Conditions. 399 



eents around 40 billion feet B. 'SL, and altogether 20 

 million cubic feet of forest-grown material, the ultimate 

 value of all forest products reaching the stupendous sum 

 of around 1,200 million dollars. And as in other coun- 

 tries, this lavish consumption of forest growth, from five 

 to fifteen times that of Europeans, has shown in the past 

 a per capita increase of 30 per cent, for every decade. 



The bulk of the standing timber is to be found along 

 the Pacific Coast, in the Sierra, and in the Southern 

 States with their extensive pineries; the Northern and 

 Eastern sections are within measureable time of the end 

 of their virgin supplies of saw timber. The practice of 

 culling the most valuable species has changed the com- 

 position in the regeneration, making it inferior, and 

 large areas have been rendered worthless by fires. 



The loss by fire, the bane of American forests, as far 

 as loss in material is concerned probably does not ex- 

 ceed 2 or 3 per cent, of the consumption, and may be 

 valued at say 25 million dollars per annimi. But the 

 indirect damage to forest and soil, changing the com- 

 position, baring the soil, and exposing it to erosion and 

 washing, turning fertile lands into wastes, and brooks 

 and rivers into torrents, is incalculable. 



There is no doubt that at the present rate of consump- 

 tion the bulk of the virgin supplies will be used up ia a 

 measurable time, which will force a reduction in the use 

 of wood materials ; a more or less severe timber famine is 

 bound to appear, indeed, has begun to make its appear- 

 anc-e; and all recuperative measures will not suffice to 

 stave it off, although they may shorten the time of its 

 duration. 



