EDITORIAL 



749 



some ten times this number of sheep, besides many 

 cattle. Those in charge would gladly do this if 

 people could be induced to provide the stock and to use 

 the range. It is believed that many would do so were 

 they fully informed of its real value, the methods of se- 

 curing the range, and knew how to get the stock back to 

 it. As said before, many have never heard of co-opera- 

 tive stock associations whereby the rancher with only a 

 few head of stock may join with his neighbors, who also 

 have small numbers, and together secure a range allot- 

 ment for the season. In this way each man holds his 

 stock in his own name, paying his share of the grazing 

 fees and cost of herding. Many people do not realize how 



far sheep and cattle may be trailed back into the moun- 

 tains to excellent advantage. By this method the local 

 ranges would be saved for spring and fall grazing. The 

 opportunity given the close-in pastures for recuperation 

 during the summer months would enable them to sup])ort 

 a greater number of stock in the fall and spring, thus 

 enabling the farmer or the stockman of the valleys t'j 

 considerably increase the number of animals handled, 

 add materially to his income and "do his bit" most sub- 

 stantially by way of augmenting the depleted supplies ot 

 our most highly valued classes of food products and 

 clothing material. That this increase should be brought 

 about is highly important. 



WOOD CUTTING TO OVERCOME COAL SHORTAGE 



THE serious shortage of coal throughout the entire 

 country makes the substitution of wood for fuel a 

 real necessity. How far increased use of wood can 

 help this year is unknown. It appears, however, that 

 the amount cf fuel wood now cut and seasoned is far 

 below normal, not more than one-half the usual supply. 

 The small available supply of seasoned wood has caused 

 the price to increase in many places to nearly double that 

 of a year ago. Some towns in New England are reported 

 as now paying as high as $18.00 per cord for seasoned 

 wood, while as high as $12.00 per cord is paid in some 

 places for wood f. o. b. These are unusual prices and 

 were it not for the great scarcity of labor would un- 

 doubtedly greatly stimulate wood cutting wherever wood 

 is available. Enormous quantities of standing timber 

 suitable for fuel are available. The situation, therefore, 

 demands prompt action not only to meet present exigen- 

 cies, but to alleviate the situation a year hence. 



The Federal Fuel Administrator for New England, 

 Mr. J. J. Storrow, in a call to a conference on the sub- 

 ject, said : 



"A serious shortage of coal threatens New England 

 this winter. The situation does not warrant neglecting 

 any possible measure of preparedness. For this reason 

 it seems advisable to make a New England campaign for 

 the production of wood on a large scale. Good hard-. 

 wood pro])erly prepared and dried can be used exten- 

 sively for domestic purposes as an emergency measure. 

 Wood cut in November can be burned the latter part of 

 the winter, when the coal situation may be most acute. 

 The cam])aign should also look ahead toward a large 

 sui)])ly of wood for next winter when the coal situation 

 may be more serious than this year." 



The full attendance at the conference bespoke the 

 interest of everyone in the solution of the fuel problem 

 and conclusions reached were summarized as follows : 



1. People throughout New England should be urged 

 to use wood wherever they can do so in order to save coal 



2. It is earnestly recommended that the fuel adminis- 

 trators and the agricultural and other officers throughout 

 the New England states shall urge upon all woodland 

 owners to cut cordwood promptly and extensively. 



3. As far as possible portable sawing machinery 

 should be used in order to save the expense of additional 

 handling. In some instances the wood can probably be 

 cut into one foot lengths advantageously. The machinery 

 uses a different class of laborers, reducing the number of 

 skilled laborers required. 



4. In order to secure the best results, local organiza- 

 tion is necessary. Leadership and sometimes capital are 

 required, which we believe should come from the local 

 banks and business men. 



5. It is recommended that the fuel administrator in 

 each state shall appoint a representative committee from 

 the several counties and wood-using industries, including 

 the State Forester in each state, these committees to take 

 charge of the wood situation under the fuel administra- 

 tor. Insofar as their judgment approves, local commit- 

 tees in the several towns should be organized in order 

 that the local committees shall protect themselves against 

 extortionary prices. 



The Fuel Administrators for each state should appoint 

 committees in each town to canvass all timber land 

 owners and urge upon them the necessity for increasing 

 the cutting of wood not only to be used this winter but 

 for a reserve supply of seasoned wood for next winter. 

 Even where $2.00 or even $3.00 per cord is now paid for 

 cutting the wood the owner is receiving more for his 

 stumpage under present prices than he did a few years 

 ago when cutting cost but $1.00 per cord. 



It is clear that woodland owners are, therefore, not 

 being asked to make any financial sacrifices, but just to 

 get a strong grip on the situation and use every effort 

 with available labor to get out more fuel wood and then 

 more during this winter. It must not be forgotten that 

 the opportunity is big to improve our woodlands in this 

 work. Let every reader of American Forestry take 

 hold and "do his bit" along this line. 



'T^HE municipal forest of Baden-Baden, Germany, 

 -'- yields an annual net profit of $5.25 per acre. Many 

 cities in the United States might have the same income. 

 The town forest of Fosbach, Germany, pays a net profit 

 of $12.41 per acre per year. 



