468 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



in every case where the real value of 

 the land warrants the expense. Large 

 holdings can be improved at less ex- 

 pense per acre than small ones and for 

 this reason, if the logging companies 

 themselves do not clear up the land, 

 holding companies devoted to clearing 

 and selling are necessary and such a 

 plan is just being made effective in 

 southwestern Washington. The Com- 

 pany which I represent, the Lake 

 Whatcom Logging Company of Bell- 

 ingham, Washington, has placed fifty- 

 two individual settlers or families on 

 logged oft' lands during the past five 

 years and not one has thrown up his 

 contract. Most have paid up in full, 

 are prosperous and contented. Our 

 theory is to sell in small tracts to actual 

 settlers at reasonable prices on easy 

 terms and to help with lumber and 

 clearing where moderate payment is 

 made. We do not offer land until we 

 have opened roads and secured fair 

 mail and school facilities. 



Wherever the soil is good and com- 

 panies secure a good class of settlers, 

 this plan will solve the problem. The 

 second class lands suitable for grazing 

 or too remote from centers of popu- 

 lation to warrant expense of remov- 

 ing stumps can be made of value by 

 burning over in the spring or fall and 

 following up with a moderate sowing 

 of timothy and clover as soon as the 

 ashes cool. Anyone interested in this 

 phase of development should obtain 

 the U. S. Department of Agriculture's 

 Farm Bulletin 462, "The Utilization 

 of Logged-off Land for Pastures in 

 Western Oregon and Western Wash- 

 ington," by Byron Hunter and Harry 

 Thompson, who have investigated the 

 question at length and have deduced 

 many valuable conclusions. The bul- 

 letins of the L. O. L. Association of 

 the State of Washington contain much 

 information of value. Its President is 

 Mr. J. W. Brown, Alaska Building, 



Seattle, Wash., from whom these bul- 

 letins may be obtained. This organiza- 

 tion, formed in 190S, secured co- 

 operation of the State of Washington 

 and of the agricultural department of 

 the United States, and much reliable 

 information has been compiled as to 

 clearing costs and methods. 



Reforesting cut-over lands scientifi- 

 cally has made little progress on the 

 Pacific Coast even inside the United 

 States Reserves, the area treated being 

 a very small percentage of the whole. 

 The States and private individuals have 

 done practically nothing as yet because 

 there was neither economic reasons nor 

 public sentiment requiring it. This 

 condition is changing and most of the 

 States now have forestry departments 

 whose importance is being realized and 

 supported by the legislatures. 



Existing tax laws make impossible 

 reforesting by private owners except 

 in isolated cases. Land suitable for 

 such purposes should be acquired by 

 the State at a maximum price of say 

 five dollars per acre and modern prac- 

 tical forestry methods applied which 

 will transform a waste into a source of 

 lumber supply and revenue to the State 

 fifty years hence. Each State should 

 classify its cut-over lands under one 

 of the three heads given and sell the 

 two first named classes. The balance 

 should be reforested. When these sug- 

 gestions are applied to the idle tangle 

 of brush and stumps covering many 

 millions of acres in the Xorth and 

 West, conditions will no longer re- 

 proach the lumbermen nor the people 

 of the State aft'ected. There are homes 

 for millions under far more favorable 

 conditions than govern life on the cold 

 northern plains but co-operation and 

 intelligence are needed to make these 

 lands available. 



*Afldress at convention of National Lumber 

 Manufacturers .Association. 



CITY FORESTER NAMED. 



Park Siipf. Charles G. Carpenter has been appointed city forester of Mikvankee, Wis., 

 by the park board, in conformity 7i'itli a lazv of the legislature of 1911. Mr. Carpenier will 

 serve zvithont salary, it being )!cccssary to appoint a forester prior to June 20. Otily $1,200 

 is available for salary of the forester, and the board decided that the city forest activiiies 

 for this year would be limited. 



