238 
the pressure of the grinders which are ad- 
joined for spruce fibers is too powerful for 
the fibers of balsam, as they are torn and 
weakened. For the same reason the chemi- 
cals used in the treatment of spruce fibers 
weaken and dissolve the fibers of balsam 
when used in the same strength. Examples 
of what can be done with balsam in the 
manufacture of paper are found in France, 
where the tree is made to produce good 
book papers. There not only the main 
trunk, but even the top of the tree is used. 
The silvicultural features of the balsam 
are related by Mr. Zon, who has studied 
the tree carefully throughout its range, but 
particularly in Maine and the Adirondacks, 
Spruce has been cut for many years, while 
balsam has scarcely been cut at all; hence 
balsam has taken the place of and is crowd- 
ing out the spruce. This change in species 
in the North woods is hastened by the great 
superiority of balsam as a seed tree, for 
balsam bears seeds every year, while the 
spruce seeds only once in 7 years.’ These 
conditions make it apparent how desirable 
it is that pulp manufacturers should use 
balsam wherever possible, for in doing so 
they not only lessen the drain on the lim- 
ited quantity of spruce left, but they give 
the tree a chance to grow and reproduce 
itself. This point Mr. Zon brings out 
forcefully. 

PACIFIC COAST TIMBER SUPPLIES. 
It was estimated that the cut of lumber 
and shingles in the 3 Pacific coast States 
during the census year was little less than 
4 billion feet, board measure; and the tim- 
ber standing and ready for the axe was 
placed at about 620 billion feet. The ready 
mathematician -would complacently figure 
from this that there are over I50 years of 
supply in sight, and since there must be 
some new growth on the cut over areas, 
we could treat this supply for the present 
at least as practically inexhaustible. 
This calculation is based on the assump- 
tion that the annual cut remains the same, 
which is far from the truth. With the 
growth of the community there is, of 
course, an increase in the use of ‘materials; 
but even this allowance of increased cut 
does not in any way permit us to forecast 
the future; for the timber supplies are by 
no means used locally. Even now, of the 
present cut we can fairly estimate that only 
one-quarter is used by the resident popu- 
lation 2(!) million people using lumber at 
the rate of 500 feet B. M. per capita. 
Three-quarters of the cut is exported, not 
only to foreign parts by water, but by rail 
to Eastern markets. The shipments of Pa- 
cific coast lumber to the Mississippi valley, 
and even farther East, have been growing 
at an enormous rate, and as the supplies 
RECREATION. 
of the Atlantic forests are giving out, 
the Western shipments will grow at a rate 
not indicated in the past history of trade 
development. 
The only way in which we can discuss 
any of our resources is witlr reference to 
the whole country. The figuring should 
proceed about as follows: We cut in the 
whole country at present a round 30 billion 
feet of coniferous material such as the Pa- 
cific coast forest can alone furnish. Ac- 
cording to the census our consumption 
doubles in about 20 years. That means 
that each year 1,500,000,000 feet increase in 
the cut is necessary. At this rate, the enor- 
mous supplies of the Pacific coast are not 
sufficient to furnish the requirements of 
the United States for 15 years. Assuming, 
on the basis of other calculations, that the 
Eastern supplies can fill the bill for 15 
years, it is evident that less than 30 years 
will see the end of the magnificent Pacific 
coast forests. 
There is, however, one fact that will 
presently, and should now, add to the sup- 
ply. The estimates of standing timber are 
based on the present standard of the mar- 
ketable log which is unnecessarily extrav- 
agant. It is probable that with decrease in 
supply. and consequent increase in price the 
size of the log which is acceptable to the 
mill man will come down to that of Eastern 
standards. The Pacific coast supplies may 
then be doubled. 
“Ma, kin I go over an’ play wid Micky 
Hoolihan ?” 
“Naw. Yez know we don’t have nothin’ 
to do wid thim Hoolihans.” 
“Den lemme go over an’ kick de stuffin’ ' 
outer him.”—Exchange. 

I have just finished reading the Decem- 
ber number of Recreation and find it the 
best sportsmen’s magazine I ever saw. 
H. J. Henry, MacDougall, N. Y. 

Harker—You say the mimic was good? 
Barker—Indeed he was. When he made 
a noise like an automobile everyone jumped. 
—Chicago News. 

It is simply a snap to get subscribers for 
RECREATION.. It took me only a few hours 
to get this list of 40 subscriptions. 
C. E. Shultis, Waukegan, IIIs. 

I send you herewith $1, for which please 
send the “best on earth” to J. B. Monroe, 
Kipp, Montana, for-one year. 
H. H. Garr, Columbia Falls, Mont. 
RECREATION is a peach. 
without it. 

I could not do 
Murray Reid, Lima, O, 
