132 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



obtain no satisfactory data upon the quantity of hardwood used 

 annually for fuel, or upon the losses occasioned by fire, destruc- 

 tive storms, or such industries as that of turpentine manufacture 

 in the South, which results in the death and waste of many trees. 

 The most conservative estimate of the consumption of wood 

 through these various agencies is 50 billions of board feet, which 

 with the timber cut already mentioned brings the total to 100 

 billions consumed yearly. It is safe to say that the annual growth 

 of our forests does not exceed 60 board feet per acre. This 

 means that the amount of wood used every year for lumber alone 

 is greater than the annual amount produced by the growing forest; 

 that the annual consumption is, in fact, three times the annual 

 growth. 



It was stated that the total present stumpage was placed at 

 2,500 billions of board feet. If the rate of consumption above 

 indicated does not increase, and if the annual growth continues 

 in the same ratio — both of which suppositions are highly improb- 

 able, if we judge from past and present conditions — the timber 

 supply in this country will last 35 years. A very slight disturb- 

 ance in the above ratios will reduce the time limit to an alarm- 

 ing degree. 



We can scarcely overestimate the serious results of an exhaus- 

 tion of our wood supply. It is true that invention and applied 

 science are constantly furnishing us with adequate substitutes for 

 wood in many manufactures. Modern buildings of brick, stone, 

 cement, and steel, being fireproof, are infinitely superior to the 

 old houses of wood. It has been found that ships, railway coaches 

 and ties, and many kinds of furniture may be made to advantage 

 of steel; while numerous household articles formerly classed as 

 wooden ware are now of metal or papier-mache. But no satis- 

 factory substitute has been found for wood pulp in paper manu- 

 facture, and the total output of cotton and linen rags, once the 

 exclusive source of paper, would scarcely be sufficient for the 

 daily press of one of our large cities. 



The modern fireproof building still requires large quantities of 



