PULPWOOD PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 146, 17 December 1924, Page 7

PULPWOOD PROBLEM

AN ATTEMPT TO SOLVE

AMERICA DRAWING ON EURO-

PEAN .SUPPLIES.

In an interesting report just issued by the Forest Service of the United States, the methods by which the country can meet its present and future pulpwood requirements are discussed, and a logical and probably practical plan is offered, 'states the "Christian Science Monitor." Publishers of newspapers," magazines and books have long realised the fact that the increasing consumption of pulpwood products, unless a way was found to re-establish the retreating timber line in the "United States and Canada, would eventually result in the fixing of a practically prohibitive price for news and book 'papers. The continued cutting of pulpwood trees in the eastern and central sections of the United States has made, the present, operation of many paper mills unprofitable, even at present prices. . Naturally the tendency has been to draw from what was long believed to be the inexhaustible supply found in Canadian forests. But the gradual depletion of timber-in the Dominion'has resulted in action by the Government there, which warns-of a possible prohibition, in the near future, of the exportation of pulpwood or the product of the paper mills. Already the American manufacturers and consumers of paper have begun to draw heavily upon European supplies. But even this source is not inexhaustible, unless, indeed, recourse is had to the forests of Russia and Siberia, which are next to. inaccessible under' existing commercial and treaty conditions. What then; is the answer? r _ The report discloses' the;-interesting tact that European pulpwood supplies now come almost : entirely , from cultivated forests. _ It is said that Canadian supplies-will soon also have to be grown by forestry if they are to remain a factor-of importance.. Here is an intimation of-the line of reasoning'to be followed. So. the reader is prepared tor the reassuring solution of the problem which the investigators offer. ft is not unique^ because the advocates of reforestation have longurged'the adoption of similar measures' in an effort to restore to a measure of productivity the millions of acres of denuded lands which once produced a wealth of virgin timber. It is pointed put that by simple and comparatively inexpensive processes these tracts can be made to produce, m time, an abundant supply of pulp;v wood. The report says:_ Upon larie ■areas m the United States suitable only tor timber growing occur many species eminently satisfactory for pulp The United States has on the.;whole, much more favourable growing conditions than either eastern Canada or northern' Eu- * the raaia sources of our imports. We should therefore, be .able to secure own la^d" IUSWI' ter Pel' iods fl'°m Ouv' Thus 'viewed the problem does' not appear to be insoluble. It may be argued that' for the present, anTfor ally sound pohcy to continue the importa ion into the^nited. States of pulp supplies from other "countries. «• In ' e\3v * T- dl * di"»"ni*"g dome*" tic supply is being conserved. But woild shortage which.will exist unless .picas: ssahr&a