FOREST SERVICE. 493 



roads or other transportation facilities in connection withveach sale 

 will result in making additional timber available, and that even 

 the largest sales, which may extend through a maximum period of 10 

 to 20 years, cover but a small fraction of 1 per cent of the merchant- 

 able timber on the forests. 



Large sales are made only where they furnish the sole means of 

 utilizing inaccessible timber. The experience of seven years has 

 shown that much timber can be disposed of in no other way. The 

 refusal to make such sales would result in great loss of timber, which 

 is already deteriorating. Each sale made under such conditions not 

 only prevents waste, but makes productive an area where now growth 

 is oflPset by decay. The construction of transportation facilities in 

 connection with every large sale develops and increases the value of 

 other bodies of timber. In a recent case in California the increase in 

 the value of timber not sold was estimated to be considerably more 

 than the purchase price of the timber placed under contract. With 

 the use of a railroad or other improvements granted to subsequent 

 purchasers, the public will secure greater returns from adjacent bodies 

 than it could ever have obtained had the first sale not been made. 

 Finally, every sale of this character opens to general development a 

 region previously locked up ; it makes possible new mining operations, 

 aids agricultural development b}^ affording an outlet for crops, creates 

 local business, and draws in population. 



The annual yield, or amount of timber produced annually upon 

 any area, must be the ultimate basis of the cut. It is absolutely neces- 

 sary that provision be first made on each market unit for meeting 

 local needs. Enough timber for such needs, if it is available, is 

 reserved. The following examples illustrate the application of this 

 policy : 



Upon the Doerlodge National Forest, in Montana, the annual 

 yield is estimated to be 40,000,000 board feet, all of which is needed 

 to supply the mines at Butte. From this forest no sales to supply 

 any outside markets will be considered. Upon the Holy Cross 

 National Forest, in Colorado, the annual yield is estimated to be 

 6,000,000 feet, and since it is believed that local markets will re- 

 quire all or practically all of this amount, sales for the general 

 market are not made. The limitation of cut on the Sioux Forest is 

 4.650.000 feet. Experience has shown that approximately 4,150,000 

 feet annually, practically all of the timber which can be cut, will be 

 used locally. 



On many forests, however, the excess of production over the 

 amount needed for local consumption is very great. On the Cas- 

 cade National Forest, in Oregon, the annual production is estimated 

 to be 200,000,000 foct. wliile present local needs can be supplied by 

 approximately 1.000.000 foot. Local consumption on the Sierra Na- 

 tional Forest is less than 700,000 feet annually, while the cut allowed 

 is 260,000,000 feet. From such forests a large cut for the general 

 market can safely bo permitted. 



A cut in excess of the yield will be authorized in a few divisions 

 or forests which have a largo amount of mature and overmature tim- 

 ber and a strong demand, and on which restrictions to provide for 

 a sustained local supply are not neoded. Until transportation and 

 market facilities are more evenly distributed, demand must enter 

 largely into the determination of where sales shall be made. 



