

THE production of lumber in the state of Minnesota in 

 1919 was nearly 300 million feet less than in 1912, and 

 more than 335 million board feet than in 1911. Official 

 figures just issued by the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture on the production of lumber show some interesting 

 facts regarding the decrease in certain states, Minnesota in- 

 cluded. The figures are based on reports which the depart- 

 ment obtains from lumber manufacturers. 



A Constant Decrease. 



In 1913, 354 mills in Minnesota made reports showing that 

 they had sawed 1,149,704,000 board feet of lumber. In 1912 

 there were 484 mills that reported showing 1,436,726,000 board 

 feet sawed. In 1911, 467 mills reported 1,485,015,000 board 

 feet of lumber sawed. 



According to the figures prepared, Minnesota stood four- 

 teenth in the lumber-producing states. The list was led by 

 Washington where four times the lumber sawed in Minne- 

 sota was produced. In 1912 Minnesota was eleventh in the 

 list of states. In 1911, this state was ninth in the list of 

 lumber-producing states. 



While it is true that many mills may not have reported to 

 the department, the figures still show the relative positions 

 cf the various states and are an index to the general trend of 

 the lumber industry. 



An Argument for State Forests. 



All too eloquently do the figures show how Minnesota is 

 dropping down in the list of lumber-producing states. They 

 make a powerful argument for reforestation. If Minnesota 

 continues to drcp in the list the time is not far distant when 

 she must cease to be a lumber-producing state on anything 

 like the present scale. 



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