Aberdeen Editor \(/rites About Western Forestry

(By Edward Von Syckle in the Alerdeen, V/ashinston \florld)

Collier's Weekly is advocating editorially in its current issue that the United States should copy Sweden's law to prevent "wanton deforestation," making it compulsory for timber owners to plant a tree to replace every tree cut do'ivn. The editorial reports that both our forests and waters arc, going, the latter through pollution of waste from factories, and that the wild life of the country mav be extinct in the foreseeable future.

As a remedy for this denuding of our natural resources, Collier's urges that there must be a ne'lv tree for every one cut, that factory owners must provide adequate waste disposal plants, and tl.rat "hunters and fishermen should pay a fair price for the game they remove."

Granted that Collier's aims are commendable, far-sighted and worthy of practice, but there is another phase to the question, too. William D. Hagenstein, forest engineer for the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, said that the people of the United States do not have to worry about a timber famine. He said the U. S. forest service is telling "only half the story" of the lumber supply situation in thrs country.

"Tens of millions of acres of forest from an 180,000,000acre source are reaching sar,v timber size every decade, but are not being calculated by the governmeut," llagenstein said. "In 1944 the U. S. forest service stated that there were 95,0@,000 acres of pole size timber and that 85,500,000 acres of seedlings and saplings grorving in the United States. They rvere not computed as of that time as contributing to the current board foot growth even though they rvere passing {rom cubic feet size to saw timber sizewhicl-r is 15 inches, according to government estimates.''

He cited that in I92O the Capper report shorved a ratio of 5.6 board foot rvithdrarval to one board foot replacement in saw timber. In 1944 the U. S. forest service shorved a ratio of 1.53 feet u'ithdrarvn to one replaced. That is a vast ratio reduction.

In fact rnost lumbermen well recognize the advisability of replacing cut timber, though it cannot be der-ried that more needs to be done in this direction. Yet, vast strides have been made in the past 10 years torvard perpetuating America's forests, especially those in the Northwest. The

Wcrge Hour Legislction

The I-abor Subcommittee of the California State Senate voted unanimously to report to the full comrnittee a bill for limite<l revision of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This bill u'ould raise the minimum wage from 40 to 75 cents per hour.

FIIA Birthdcy

June 27th was the fifteenth birthday of FHA. During its lifetime 2,500,000 American families have taken advantage of its lorv interest rates and long time credit.

tree farm movement has been a great boom to future lumbering, while big lumber outfits, looking a long way ahead. have made forest replacement a matter of basic policy.

Grays llarbor, which is sort of a forest laboratory, has seen wanton cutting and denuding of vast areas; it also is seeing wholesale replanting of forests. It has seen the lumberman's policy change in a matter of one decade from thoughtlessness o{ the future, to future planning and planti.tg. In fact the region's whole economy in a matter of years will be based upon efforts to keeping the forest producing, reaping only what can be replaced and cutting only as it is replaced.

This is a hard fact impressed upon the region by the rapid retreat of virgin forests. The lush days are over; everyone realizes that, but everyone also realizes the pt-rtential growing powers of Grays Harbor forest lands. We are banking on foresight, on the work of replanting, fire prevention and ever-willing Nature to keep our industries going for generations to come.

New Midget Size Moisture Begister

A ne'"v, midget-size rnstrument for testing moisttlre content in lumber that slips easily into the pocket and is priced at only $75.00, has just been announced lry Moisture Register Company, 133 North Garfield Ave., Alharnbra, Calif. It is specially designed to make possible accurate moisture testing at low cost by lumber dealers, wood u,orkers and kiln dryers.

Believed to be the smallest instrument of its kind cver produced commercially, this new Moisture llegister nroclel DC-l measures only 3/4"x5" and r,veighs less than tr,vo pounds. It is scientifically engineered on the Megohm Bridge principle, and gives accurate results over a full range, from B/o to 29/o. Tests inside kilns are accurate down to 4/o at kiln temPeratures.

Moisture content readings for most rvoods may be made direct from the dial. In addition, easy-to-read calibration tables are furnished for 35 woods. Condensed tables are printed on the instrument shell, and complete tables are supplied in booklet form.

Construction is simple and sturdy. Standard-type miniature batteries and tube give long service' The instrument is fully guaranteed against defects in materials or workmanship. Complete details will be sent free upon request.