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Show may persist for many years longer without deteriorating. Reforestation in Michigan did not begin until 1904, and even the oldest old-est of our jack pine plantations art far from being mature today. It is quite true that some of the land which reverted to the state did con-tain con-tain a fair' stand of natural Jack pine which Is approaching close to maturity, but there Is so little of this that the state would be unwarranted un-warranted In attempting to harvest It The Jack pine tree of northern Michigan, while not as valuable commercially as other species of pines, or hardwood, has gone far In covering the lumbering and fire scars of the past generation and has a distinct recreational value. Michigan Jack Pine Does Not Mature for 80 Years Considerable has been said In the past regarding the lurge amount of mature jack pine that may be found on state-owned lands, particularly in state forests. Most of these reports re-ports emanate from those who would like to see this timber harvested har-vested for commercial purposes, writes Albert Stoll, Jr., In the Detroit De-troit News. A careful check of the state holdings hold-ings would reveal that there is very little, If any, so-called mature Jack pine on these holdings. What undoubtedly un-doubtedly Is meant is the merchantable merchant-able Jack pinel Under the most favorable fa-vorable growing conditions jack pine matures in Michigan at about eighty to ninety years of age. It Is conceded, however, that before this period much of this forest growth becomes merchantable for pulpwood, box wood, railroad ties and the like, but it is by no means mature. Even after reaching maturity, ma-turity, if fire and disease are eliminated elim-inated from these stands the trees |