STUDYING FOREST CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK 



eROM statistics gathered already growth." The United States Forest 

 by the State Conservation De- Service began some three years ago this 

 partment," says Hugh P. Baker, stock taking as far as the wood-working 

 dean of the New York State College of industries are concerned by making co- 

 Forestry at Syracuse University, in a operative studies with various States, 

 letter addressed to the Conservation Such studies have been made in some 

 Commission, "we know that New York ten or twelve States including New 

 now secures only about one-fourth of Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Vir- 

 the wood it uses from the lands of the ginia, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and 

 State, sending outside the cost price for Washington. On July 1st the study of 

 three-fourths of its wood. This means New York conditions was begun and 

 that New York is sending into other the Government Service considers it so 

 States several millions of dollars for important that it will open an office in 

 wood that its 12,000,000 acres of forest New York City so that the various 

 land could be made to produce easily parts of the State may be more effec- 

 under scientific forest management, tively covered by the agents of the New 

 Such area of forest land, if properly York State College of Forestry and the 

 managed, would not only supply fully . Forest Service. 



the needs of the State, but there would "Blank sheets and cards are being 

 be a large surplus which would bring sent out to manufacturers throughout 

 considerable money back into the State the State, asking for the kinds of wood 

 as the material is exported." used, for what used, form, quantity in 

 These conservation facts and conclu- board feet, cost per thousand, and the 

 sions, brought home to the head of the source of the material used. Also what 

 State College of Forestry at Syracuse attempts have been made to use waste 

 by the Conservation Commission's in- material for purposes other than fuel, 

 vestigations and bulletins, have prompt- As the data is gathered it will be tabu- 

 ed the college to inaugurate this fall lated with the idea of determining ex- 

 "A study of the wood-working indus- actly the purpose for which the various 

 tries of New York." In announcing woods are most generally used, how 

 this plan to the Conservation Commis- much is being used, its cost and where 

 sion, Dean Baker makes the following the State is getting it. From statistics 

 statement, which forecasts a valuable co- gathered already by the State Conser- 

 operation with the State department in vation Commission, we know that New 

 the practical conservation of the State's York now secures only about one- 

 forests and lands best adapted to grow- fourth of the wood it uses from the 

 ing trees : lands of the State, sending outside the 

 "For some time various States and cost price for three-fourths of its wood, 

 the National Government have felt the This means that New York is sending 

 necessity of taking stock both of our into other States several million dollars 

 forests and of the wood that we are for wood that its 12,000,000 acres of 

 using in our manufacturing and for forest land could be made to produce 

 other purposes. Until we do know defi- easily under scientific management, 

 nitely as to how much we have left in Such an area of forest land, if properly 

 our forests and how much we are using managed, would not only supply fully 

 annually, can we say exactly how long the needs of the State, but there would 

 our virgin forest will last and how soon be a large surplus which would bring 

 we must prepare for the time when all considerable money back into the State 

 of our forests will be so-called "second as the material is exported." 



537 



