I 



30 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ing of how to use it most efficiently, and that much inferior wood can 

 be utilized to good purpose. 



The establishment of additional forest experiment stations, espe- 

 cially in the Lake States and in the New England area, is much to 

 be desired. At such stations we are able to make close-at-hand studies 

 of matters affecting forest growth which can not possibly be made so 

 well in any other way. 



FOREST LEGISLATION NEEDED. 



If it were feasible to enact a law which would provide for the ad- 

 ministration of all our forests. National, State, and privately owned, 

 under rules and regulations which would compel intelligent cutting, 

 adequate protection, and economic utilization, that would be the best 

 thing that could be done for the good of all the people. Such legis- 

 lation does not seem feasible at the present time. It should be pos- 

 sible, however, to enact some legislation which will have the support 

 of the most forward looking people interested in our forests, and I 

 sincerely trust that this may be done soon. Such legislation should 

 provide : 



First, for the extension of Federal cooperation with the States in 

 the protection of forests in State or private ownership, making such 

 cooperation contingent upon equal expenditures by the cooperating 

 States and also upon their compliance with adequate standards of 

 protection. The limited cooperation which has been possible under 

 present conditions has been very successful, and I think it is gen- 

 erally agreed by those who are familiar with this matter that larger 

 investments of public funds in cooperation with the States and with 

 private owners would do more to stimulate timber growth than any- 

 thing else that can possibly be done. The annual loss (amounting 

 to about $16,400,000) from forest fires and the continued unproduc- 

 tivity of much of our land is a shocking waste which should not be 

 tolerated by an intelligent people. This loss can mostly be stopped 

 through such cooperation as I have indicated. The use of Federal 

 funds for the organization of a strong Federal agency for this pur- 

 pose is justified to exactly the same degree that the use of the funds 

 of the city for the organization and maintenance of a fire-fighting 

 department is justified. 



Second, for more complete cooperation with the States in growing 

 and distributing forest-planting material. In most States there are 



