THE VALUE OF WOOD 



349 



to make room for crops. It was a laborious task to remove the 

 stumps. The change in this feeling toward our native forests has 

 come only recently. We are now beginning to feel the need of 

 saving our forests and to grow more trees in forest areas. Many 

 states of the Union establish schools of forestry and have laws 

 and officers for the protection of forest growth. The United States 

 government, through its Forest Service, makes strenuous efforts to 

 preserve the native growth of large forest reservations (Fig. 239). 



FIG 230 



FIG. 240. 



FIG. 239. A mountain lake surrounded by rough hills a region well suited to the growth 



of mixed timber. 



FIQ. 240. This sturdy old white pine tree was too crooked for lumber, but when such 

 trees are left in the forest area they may supply abundant seeds for reforestation. 



To fully appreciate the real importance of the value of wood in 

 commerce and manufacture, we need only to visit a land where 

 wood is not abundant, or where it is not found at all. The natives 

 and settlers of Greenland have little or no wood to use. The im- 

 mense value of a piece of wood to them is shown when they offer 

 to trade for a small bit of wood almost an equal amount of ivory. 

 They will trade the most costly furs for wood from other countries. 

 They want wood for making sledges and for other articles requiring 

 limited amounts of wood. 



