SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION. 



187 



But in our forest reserves the hard woods that have so prominent a 

 place in our lumber industry and agricultural implement, furniture, and 

 cabinet manufactures are scarcely represented. The cedar, tamarack, 

 canon live oak, and tan-bark oak are the only hai'd woods of commer- 

 cial importance found on the reserves. Our walnut, maple, ash, 

 locust, hickory, cherry, and beech timber are as jet derived alnjost 

 wholly from the Central States, mainly east of the Mississippi. Tim- 

 ber planting has not kept pace with timber cutting, and the supply is 

 diminishing. Furniture makers already complain of the scarcity of 

 black walnut. 



The only other source of these hard woods is the Appalachian belt 

 from the southern part of New York to Alabama. The}' grow in larg- 

 est numbers on the slopes of the southern half of these mountain 

 ranges. On the neighboring lowlands spread away the forests of long- 

 leaf, short-leaf, and loblolly pines, which make the great lumber 

 industry of our South Atlantic States. The hard woods above them 

 have as yet scarcely been touched, but with the diminishing supply of 

 hard woods on the central plain from the Mississippi eastward, lum- 

 bermen are beginning to look to the mountains. 



The question is whether this large source of supply shall also be 

 depleted or whether, by the methods of scientific forestry, the timber 

 shall be renewed, so that later generations, as well as ourselves, may 

 have the benefit of it. These forests can be protected only hy Govern- 

 ment regulation, and if the States do not take steps to conserve these 

 lai'ge sources of wealth the question whether the National Government 

 should not acquire the right to do so at a time when it is asserted it may 

 be cheaply acquired is certainl}' worth}- of serious consideration. 



[The New York Times.] 



One of the most interesting matters now before Congress, and one 

 which should attract general attention, is the proposition for the estab- 

 lishment of the Appalachian forest reserve, for which a bill was intro- 

 duced in Congress a few days ago. This proposed measure directs the 

 Secretai-y of Agriculture to purchase not to exceed 000,000 acres. 



[The Wilmington (Del.) Star.] ' 



The efforts of the Appalachian National Park Association are suc- 

 ceeding far beyond the anticipation of the most urgent supporters of 

 this p-reat movement. * * * Prominent and influential men in 

 every part of the countr}^ have given their aid, numerous newspapers 

 have advocated the project, and as 3^et no advei'se or unfavorable crit- 

 icism has been heard or written, and it seems practically certain that 

 with a united movement the park can be secured. * * * 



