CHAPTER III 



FOREST INSECTS 



THE necessity for the conservation of forests and the rational 

 utilization of their products has long been recognized by all 

 who have given attention to such matters. Changes in pri- 

 vate and public policy have come slowly, however, and until 

 recently but little attempt has been made to manage forests 

 with regard to both their present and future value. As a 

 consequence, forestry has lagged far behind agriculture and 

 although "forest conservation" has now become a byword 

 with the American public, its history in our own country is 

 very brief. Despite the great value and vast importance of 

 forest products, it is easy to find a reason for the more rapid 

 application of scientific ideas to agriculture, for there the re- 

 sults of improved methods manifest themselves within a 

 single season. On the other hand, timber trees are of slow 

 growth, and unlike agricultural crops, they have existed in 

 enormous quantities ready for man's use without any effort 

 on his part to further their growth. So long as primeval for- 

 ests were available in sufficient amount and in convenient 

 locations, little care was taken to provide for a future supply 

 of lumber. In fact it was tacitly assumed that nature would 

 provide a continuous supply of trees, and she was left to her 

 own devices to replace what human agency had removed. 



Under the conditions now prevailing, she has consistently 

 failed to replace forests that have been removed, mainly on 

 account of fire and other disturbing elements resulting from 

 human activity. Thus to one section of the world after 

 another, has come the realization that forestry must be put 

 on a permanent basis if forest products like agricultural crops, 

 continue to be necessary for human existence. There appears 

 to be no promise of a future which will lessen its demands 



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