AMERICAN FORESTRY 



119 



MINING AND FORESTRY IN ILLINOIS 



The interdependence of forestry and 

 many of the industries becomes more ap- 

 parent day by day. Coal mining companies 

 in southern Illinois are becoming inter- 

 ested in the value of their own timberlands 

 as the prices of mine timbers increase, 

 State Forester R. B. Miller of Urbana re- 

 ports. 



The first step in this direction was made 

 in March, 1909, when a company in Wil- 

 liamson county had the United States For- 

 est Service make an examination and 

 planting plan for their lands, an area of 14,- 

 000 acres. Two courses were suggested 

 to them by the service, first gradually to 

 restore the soil to its former state of fer- 

 tility by up-to-date methods of agriculture 

 or to try out thoroughly, the practicability 

 of forest planting on something like 140 

 acres. 



Within the last year State Forester Mil- 

 ler has made examinations of timberland 

 owned by two large coal companies in 

 southern Illinois and found that in each 

 case the main question was one of fire 

 protection. One of the companies also had 

 an eastern forester go over the same ground 

 and his opinion and recommendations were 

 practically the same. He further stated as 



an impartial observer from another state, 

 that intensive forestry had great possibili- 

 ties in southern Illinois due to the rapid 

 growth of the species, the favorable mar- 

 ket and the chance to sell profitably the 

 product from cleanings and thinnings 

 operations which would also benefit the 

 stand of timber. 



This company is taking the advice of 

 the foresters and already has put a patrol- 

 man and watchman on their land in Frank- 

 lin county to look out for fires and also 

 plans a detailed survey and examination 

 of their timber holdings. 



"With the present high price f mine 

 timbers," State Forester Miller said, "the 

 logical and economic thing would seem to 

 be for the coal companies to have a near- 

 by supply of timber on their own lands 

 at least to protect it from fire so that 

 they will have a reserve in the future 

 when the supply from farm woodlands is 

 exhausted. 



"On account of high freight rates, a 

 man who is in the business of buying mine 

 timber reports that his freight is almost 

 as much as the cost of the timber, so the 

 plea that the mines can get Missouri tim- 

 ber when our own supply is exhausted is 

 based on a fallacy. This extra cost for 

 timber due to high freight rates must be 

 passed on to the consumer, as an increased 

 cost of coal." 



THE 



1337-1339 F STREET,N.W. 

 WaSHINQTON.P.C. 



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ILLUSTRATORS 



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DISSTON 



A survey of the largest and fastest running mills 

 will show that Disston Circular Saws and Band Saws 

 predominate. 



Saws made by Disston workmen and Disston methods 

 stand up to the work and run true to speed. 



Each swaging and filing during the entire life of the 

 saw finds the same quality in the steel that the saw 

 possesses when new. No matter what your require- 

 ments whether they be for log sawing, factory work, 

 or metal cutting you'll find a Disston that is exactly 

 right for your particular needs. 



HENRY DISSTON & SONS, Inc. 



Philadelphia, U. S. A. 



O^SSTq 



