HALF OF EACH TREE LOST 



ALF, or more than half, of 14,000,000 acres in the State must 

 each tree is lost in the various eventually be devoted entirely to for- 

 1 stages of manufacture leading ests. Such an area is greater than that 

 to the finished commodities of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and 

 made from it, is the conclusion reached Rhode Island combined, and is equal 

 in a report on the wood-using industries to all that part of New York north of 

 of New York State by John T. Harris, the New York Central Line, 

 of the United States Forest Service, in Improved forest conditions in this 

 cooperation with the New York State large area would mean an enormous 

 College of Forestry at Syracuse and saving to the State. Transportation of 

 published by that institution. This con- raw material from the extreme South- 

 elusion emphasizes the finding that ern States, from Canada, and from the 

 closer utilization of the forest products West to supply factories in a forest 

 is today the greatest problem of the State results of course in duplication 

 wood-using industries and is of vital and adds to the cost of forest products, 

 importance. Last year there were sent out through 



Fifty years ago, when New York led the ports of New York State over 

 all States in the production of lumber, $15,000,000 for wood to be used in 

 the report says the problem of waste local New York industries. Practically 

 was almost unknown. At that time the all of the orders for this imported ma- 

 one aim of the superintendent of a terial should ultimately be cancelled, 

 plant was to increase the daily output. Twelve million acres or more of forest 

 Today, New York has dropped to lands in this State should produce all 

 twenty-third place among the lumber of the 1,754,519,217 feet consumed by 

 producing States, and there is increas- the home wood users. If New York 

 ing need for more efficient consumption will adopt a sound forest policy she can 

 of wood material going through the eventually take her former rank as one 

 factory. The rapid decline of New of the first States in the production of 

 York as a leader in lumber production forest products and supply nearly all 

 has been accompanied by a relative in- of the raw material needed by her fac- 

 crease in the demand for forest prod- tories. 



ucts. While her annual lumber pro- The rapid increase in manufacturing 

 duction is at present over 25,000,000 in New York has made an abnormal 

 feet her own forests and woodlots con- demand for forest products and a con- 

 tribute less than one-third of the raw sequent influx of timber from Canada, 

 material consumed by her factories. from the Lake States, and from the 



No problems before the State are southern pine region. Douglas fir also 



more important than the study' of has been shipped entirely across the 



closer utilization of forest products, continent for buildings, bridges, car 



care of the forests, forest fire protec- construction and ship masts. Millions 



tion, and reforestation. Of the 34,- of feet of cypress are shipped all the 



000,000 acres in the State, 22,000,000 way from the Gulf States to build tanks 



are included in farms and of this, only and silos ; red gum from the lower 



15,000,000 acres are actually in crops. Mississippi Valley is shipped in for in- 



This means that 7,000,000 acres of terior finish, taking the places formerly 



farms are idle ; and it is estimated that occupied by home-grown oaks, maples 



less than half of the 12,000,000 acres and birches ; practically all of the better 



outside of farms, contains merchant- grades of white pine used in the State 



able timber. To obtain the most use comes from the Ottawa River District 



from all land whatsoever, it is reliably in Canada and from the Lake States, 



estimated that between 12,000,000 and The Pacific Coast is called upon to 



438 



