WASTE OF TIMBER SUPPLIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 175, 28 August 1909, Page 3

WASTE OF TIMBER SUPPLIES.

In the United States of America, ind, . indeed, in this country and most other I 1 places where timber is easily accessible,! I the most wasteful consumption has been] 1 tolerated without hindrance. Like f iiei : spendthrift who gets rid of his capital when he should have lived upon the interest, and finds himself faced with Un stern necessity for retrenchment, so the United States is feeling the effect of reokless extravagance in the past and the pinch of approaching exhaustion in J the future. Profusion led to waste, 110 ! dotvht, but the great increase of the | population has required more land for I agricultural purposes, and has neces-j sarily diminished the nrea upon wlii?h : 1 timber can be profitably grown. This, I cause, which ten's to restrict the out--1 nut, is operative more or less through*! I out the globe, and with the growth of, I civilisation will be more apparent. As [ a sign of approaching scarcity, it is menI tioned that greater latitude is now al- ! lowed in specifications for lengths and scantlings, and an American authority i? quoted to this effect: "We are down to rock-bottom, and require every sound piece of timber that can be put upon the market. The anxiety of the authorities is shown by the extent and accuracy of the enquiry that has been made Into the existing supply. The reMiit of the examination, so far as hard woods are concerned, is not reassuring. A conservative estimate, says Enginaerin<r. puts the total amount of hardwood limber ready to cut a> not more than ■sufficient to last fifteen years. Some ; -few years ago ihe life of timber suitable for pulp-wood was stated to be twentyone years; but now, notwithstanding ! the large quantities of timber for pulp i manufactories t!»nt are brought from ! Canada, the visible supply is shortened to thirteen years. Of course, facilities for transportation of a bulky article of small value haveHo be consideied carefully. Scarcity of supply will, no doubt, furnish « corrective to past extravagance. bn f Hie disappearance of the once apparently limitless forests of America afford-? a lesson the significance of which will -iot be lost on nations whose anxiety is now fully aroused. The remedy. f»t best partial and expensive,) lie* in afforestation, and statistics show-j ?n awakened interest in this provision j for the future.