54 THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



is the effect of forest preservation on a community? To the man who 

 has no direct and important interest in forestry, who is yet a citizen of 

 the State, forestry in that sense means a larger business, a larger volume 

 of business, a greater degree of prosperity, and that prosperity diffused 

 through the whole community. To the farmer it means a wood lot 

 that is better worth his while to look after, more wood when he needs 

 it, more money when he needs to make that wood lot into money, 

 and a better return all around from his farm. To the lumberman it 

 means larger permanent supplies and the assurance that his business 

 will not perish off the face of the earth, as it has done in certain sec- 

 tions. To the grocer it means larger sales, few bad debts and a 

 better business. 



In certain sections of northern Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri 

 there was the greatest body of white pine that the world has ever seen. 

 It was enormously valuable; made a great many great fortunes. It 

 was cut off without reference to a second crop, the soil it stood on was 

 very largely white sand, and where that valuable tree growth once 

 stood is now an almost worthless waste of sand. The State of Michigan 

 has accrued from tax sales about half a million acres of land. It has 

 been trying to sell that land for ten cents an acre for a large number of 

 years past, and for years the cost of advertising the sale of that land has 

 exceeded the returns. 



We know the conditions in Vermont are absolutely different. That 

 is not an illustration that applies here, but it does illustrate the general 

 proposition I am trying to set forth. Now, where does Vermont come 

 in? Right here. You have got large areas of very valuable forest 

 growing land in the State, and it is perfectly evident you are going to 

 have large areas of just such lands. Instead of the forest areas being 

 reduced, as I get figures, whole farms are growing up. Probably the 

 amount of timbered wood land in the state now is considerably greater 

 than at one time, and there is every indication that Vermont is going 

 to have permanently given over to the growth of timber a very con- 

 siderable portion of her area. When the dairy business has converted 

 into farms and pasture more of the lands than now, we shall yet have a 

 large portion of the State which is more valuable to the growth of 

 forests than for any other purpose. Then what is the wisest thing to 

 do with that land to get the most out of it? That is the problem 

 which the forester meets. 



When I am asked, as I often am, what I would do in a certain case 

 that is described to me in a particular forest tract, the answer I am 

 really obliged to make is, I would go and look at it before I expressed 

 an opinion, the land in one locality may be better handled in one way, 

 and that of another in another. 



I want to set before you this proposition; it is worth the while of the 

 State of Vermont and all her citizens of whatever occupation, to 

 help see to it that the land of this state which is going to be per- 

 manently devoted to timber should grow the most valuable kinds of 



