1926 



(lanadian Forcsiri/ Journal. Xdicinhcr. lUlS 



])ropellers for aeroplanes and spruce 

 for their frames. We were forlunale 

 in having it, at least as standing tim- 

 ber, in the woods. But it meant the 

 creation of a separate army of men 

 to cut and deliver spruce, to inspect, 

 to dry kiln, as well as to manufacture 

 wood for war purposes. 



At last a new ^ra has come. 

 Necessity is stepping in and teaching 

 the lesson in forestiy to otir people. 

 She does it in her usual way; there is 

 no argument; the shouter of substi- 

 tutes; the \\iseacre who would import 

 our 40 billions from Alaska, where 

 there is but a fringe of timber, and 

 from Siberia, where there is less, — 

 all the "/s" and "ca/7/s" take a back 

 seat. Our people suddenly know 

 that timber is a necessity; that we 

 need lots of it and need it close at 

 home, and that it takes land and a 

 100 years to grow. The "Timberman" 

 of Portland, Oregon, says: "The 

 lumbermen of the Forest Service 

 should get together and work some 

 definite plan for the perpetuation of 

 our timber supply on some scientific 

 and workable basis. The Govern- 

 ment is interested -primarily in the 

 available supply of timber for the 

 Nation's use." It adds: "7'he grow- 

 ing of timber is a national function, 

 it is not the business of an individual.'' 

 Dr. Fernow may well ask in the 

 Canadian Forestry Journal: "Has 

 the public opinion yet been convinced 

 that forest maintenance is a State 

 Business?" At last forestry, as a 

 simple and useful industry, stands on 



its own merits. Whether our elTorts 

 will be chiefly National, and State, 

 or whether we shall depend on private 

 efforts is important but not vital: 

 probably we shall utilize all and 

 welcome all. But the lessons of 

 Europe ought not to_ be lost. State 

 forestry is the best and safest form, 

 it does more and does it better. The 

 least dependable is the small holder, 

 where the son cuts down what the 

 father has built up, and where all 

 conditions seem to operate against 

 the holding of the forest. Generally, 

 encouragement laws have done but 

 very little; coercive legislation, as 

 tried in Europe, has done but little 

 better, and universally the replace- 

 ment of private effort by State action 

 has proven most satisfactory^ from 

 every standpoint. We are now ready 

 for a large program in forestry in 

 the United States; the outlook is of 

 the best, and perhaps the most 

 urgent and immediate need is for 

 a goodly army of men, schooled and 

 trained to make the plans and carry 

 them into effect. Our countrv needs 

 500,000,000 acres of well cared-for 

 and well regulated forest; it needs 

 woodlots scattered through the great- 

 er part of our farm district, but to 

 have this it needs also 100 well 

 schooled men to every million acres 

 of woods if they are to receive the 

 care they need. The forests are 

 calling, the people's interest demand 

 it, let us help and make the task 

 worth while for our young men to 

 build up the American forest. 



Great Work of Overseas Forest Corps 



The production of the Canadian 

 Forestry Corps in France has been 

 steadily increasing, and, from a total 

 of 11,500 tons in March, 1917, made 

 up of 5,500 tons of sawn material 

 3,500 tons of round and 2,500 tons of 

 fuel, it has steadily grown until in 

 May of this year it had almost 

 reached a total of 150,000 tons, made 

 up of 90,000 tons of sawn lumber 

 10,000 tons of round timber, and 

 50,000 tons of fuel. During this 



same period the strength of the Corps 

 increased; rising from a total of 

 slightly over 2,000 in March, 1917. 

 to a total of just under 13,500 at the 

 end of May, 1918. 



When the work was taken over b>' 

 the present Directorate, there were 

 approximately seven mills being oper- 

 ated by ten Canadian Companies, 

 whereas, at the present time, there 

 are fifty-one saw mills and two re- 

 saw plants being operated by fifty- 



