HARDWOOD RECORD 



hers, ovvin^ to an early aud rather exj)lit:it in- 

 timation from tlie executive committee that tliero 

 would be no appropriation for forestry expensi's, 

 TliC meetinj;!^ have been contiiied to casual in- 

 tercourse and to Ille conference witli -Mr. I'in 

 cimt an<i Ids Inircnu associates at AA'asliinj;ton. 



I'Yom a caroftil review ou the subject, and 

 largely Ity a process of eliminatiou, the commit- 

 tee lias arrived at the conclusion tliat forestry 

 for the individual and particularly for the indi- 

 vidtial Inmliermau nuisl resolve itself into (1) the 

 preservation of the smaller growth of the forest, 

 and 1 2) the natural reforestation of cut-over 

 lands. 



The larger works of forest reservation, even 

 wlien coupled witli scientific cropping; of plant- 

 ing waste areas ; and of replanting deforested 

 tracts can only be accomplished by the govern- 

 ment so long as the present basis of stumpage 

 values exists and trees which have l)een hundreds 

 of years in growtli represent but a few dollars 

 in money. 



This view of the forestry situation has the 

 endorsement of that court of last resort in all 

 forestry- questions — ^Ir. (.Jifford Pincbot. chief 

 forester of the ITnited States — to whose liearty 

 ccx'iperation and valuable suggestions much of 

 the credit for the worl; of this committee is due. 



The practical working of forestry in the United 

 Slates is much hindered by the facts of the fee 

 simple ownership of lands by individual holders 

 and of lack of ability on the part of the general 

 government to le.gislate for the eucourageinent of 

 proper forestry metbods. 



.1. V. STIMSOX. HT'NTINOBTJRt;, IXD- 



All legislation of such nature must emanate 

 from the lawmaking bodies of the several states, 

 and this legislation affects not only the state at 

 large but the various counties, towns, districts 

 and other subdivisions of the commonwealth. 

 The people of the states, being as yet insuffi- 

 ciently educated as to the great importance of 

 this subject, and as yet not awakened to the 

 necessity of husbanding and increasing a crop 

 which has heretofore stood ready ripened at 

 their doors, are slow to offer that legislative en- 

 couragement which is absolutely indispensable. 



In this respect, if in no other, our sister 

 states, the Canadian provinces, bave a tremen- 

 dous advantage over us. 



The increase in the number of state forestry 

 commissions and of forestry associations is 

 largely contributing to the proper education of 

 the masses and encourages the belief that before 

 many years the enactment of beneficial forestry 

 laws" will be not only a possibility but an ac- 

 complished fact. Indeed, in some of the older 

 states the time seems already ripe for effort in 

 this direction- 

 Such legislation is absolutely necessary to 

 permit owners of timber to adopt even the two 

 more elementary methods of forestry which we 

 have selected for their present consideration. 



The foes which present themselves to prevent 

 the adoption of these methods are more power- 

 ful than numerous and may be easily catalogued 

 under the headings of "Fire" and "Ta,xation." 



I'ntil the ax has been put into a body of tim- 

 ber the questions of fire and taxation enter but 

 slightly into our calculations. Outside of excep- 

 tional "seasons of drought fire will not run in 

 green timber readily, and the natural increase 

 in timber values takes care of the taxation 

 feature. , . , . , . 



While the crop of matured timber is being 

 "iitbered these two enemies are still kept in the 

 "background, though they are nevertheless surely 



galbcring strcuglli for the final issue. With 

 men at command and a going business to pay the 

 expense, fires can be fought if not prevented 

 and taxes can be paid if not sworn off. 



But when the merchantable trees have all 

 lieen cut and there is no longer a general ex- 

 pens(* account to hide the tax bill then the bur- 

 den descends upon the shoulders of the operator 

 and be sighs for a paternal government to re- 

 lieve him of his unprofitable responsibility. 



The subject of legislation has already been 

 taken u]) In several states and effort made for 

 adeijuate provision, but the results are not very 

 gratifying. 



The dltlicultles in the way of proper results 

 arc threefold: (1) Hesitation on the part of 

 ilic commonwealth itself to assume the entire 

 linancial responsibility ; (2) fear of laying too 

 heavy a burden upon the county or other sub- 

 division of the state which directly benefits by 

 the taxation of real property', and (3) indispo- 

 sition on the part of legislators outside of the 

 large cities to vote for any measure wbicli may 

 render them eveu temporarily unpopular with 

 their constituents. This latter difliculty can 

 r>nly be overcome by a most energetic campaign 

 <d' education. 



The slate of Pennsylvania, for example, has 

 I.-nvs on these two subjects which are admirable 

 ill nuiiiy iioiiifs but \A'hich have been restricted 

 lo such an extent by limiting classes as to prac- 

 liciilly nullify them, evidently with the object of 

 conforming them to the breadth of mind of the 

 country member. 



In a matter in which the general public re- 

 ceives in such a large degree the eventual bene- 

 fit it would seem that the general state govern- 

 ment should shoulder the Whole financial re- 

 sponsibility, at least temporarily and until the 

 holder of the lands can, by the appreciation of 

 bis property, make such partial restitution as 

 may be considered equitably proportioned to his 

 share of the accrued advantage. In countries, 

 particularly those which are made up in a lar^e 

 measure of timbered aud deforested lands, it 

 would be manifestly unjust to throw all or any 

 large percentage of the burden upon the county 

 government. 



As a matter of fact, it would perhaps be only 

 fair to confine the operation of such laws to un- 

 productive or unprofitable holdings or to lands 

 formally entered or registered with state for- 

 estry bureaus to be held for forestry purposes 

 under such agreements as the state might pro- , 

 vide. This would prevent any accusation that 

 the public moneys were being expended for pri- 

 vate advantages. 



The prevention and suppression of forest fires 

 is not so diflicult to regulate by legislation, the 

 main stumbling block being the division of the 

 expense attendant thereon. Some of the state 

 laws are fairly satisfactory and are perhaps all 

 that the present temper of the people will per- 

 mit ; in other states they are equally unsatis- 

 factory and an effort should be made to amend 

 them. ' The Bureau of Forestry has framed a fire 

 law in connection with a model general forestry 

 law for the state of California. This law con- 

 tains a number of excellent features particularly 

 for the organization of the fire fighting depart- 

 ment, but it might be changed to advantage with 

 regard to the distribution of the attendant ex- 

 penses. Copies of this law can probably be se 

 cured from the assistant forester's office and 

 should be carefully considered by our members. 



The regulation of taxation on cut-over lands 

 is a matter much more diflicult aud needing in- 

 telligent adjustment. 



There secins to be a disposition on the part 

 of tax gathering authorities to inequitably and 

 unduly assess such holdings the owners of which 

 are la'rge non-residents of the district. The length 

 of time which must elapse before a second crop 

 of timber can be gathered, even in quantity suf- 

 ficient to meet the fixed charges on the land is so 

 great and the risks of obtaining even a fair crop 

 are so hazardous that there is little encourage- 

 ment at the present time to induce anyone to 

 undertake limber culture, particularly when the 

 benefits ultimately accrue to his remote descend- 

 ants and to the public. 



The conference held at Washington was largely 

 lor the purpose of considering the formation of a 

 law or laws covering these matters and which 

 might be easily modified to meet the conditions 

 existing iu the several states. In addition to 

 our president and members of our committee we 

 were so fortunate as to have with us Mr. Pin- 

 chot with several members of his staff. Hon. 

 S I! Elliott of the Penns.vlvania State Forestry 

 (Commission and George IC. Smith, secretary of 

 the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association. 



The result of this conference was a unani- 

 mous decision that the proper taxation of defor- 

 ested lands was a deeply involved proposition 

 and one on which it would be impossible to ob- 

 tain too many ideas and opinions. At Mr. Pin- 

 chot's suggestion it was, therefore, determined 

 to invite discussion of the subject at this meet- 

 ing and to use as a basis for such discussion a 

 paper prepared bv Alfred Gaskell, chief forest 

 inspector. Accordingly a copy of this paper with 

 a circular letter prepared by Mr. Pinchot was 

 mailed to each member of the association, and 



we are glad to be assisted in our consideration 

 by Mr. (Jaskell himself, who has kindly cousented 

 to be present and open the matter for the com- 

 mitlcc. 



Siiicr Ilic time of our conference. Mr. Elliott, 

 whose opinir>ns on such subjects are well worthy 

 'it careful consideration, has written an article 

 wbii'ii was published in "Forest Leaves," the 

 official organ of the Pennsylvania Forestry As- 

 sociation, and a copy of which can be furnished 

 you by llie .secretary. We regret that Mr. Kl 

 liott is unable to be with us. 



To obtain the enactment of such laws as will 

 fully cover the necessities of the case will fully 

 I'Uiiiloy the time of future forestry committee's 

 and at best such efforts can only be in the direc- 

 tion of advice and assistance to the combined 

 effort of lumbermen interested in particular 

 slates. The national bureau offers its services 

 freely (and it will be of invaluable assistancei 

 in the prosecution of such labors. The forestry 

 commissions of the several states will no doubt 

 be not only willing but anxious to add their in- 

 llmuice. 



The president has named several members- of 

 Ibis association to act on a central committee 

 appointed for the purpose of raising a fund of 

 •fl.'iO.OUO with which to endow a chair of ap- 

 plied forestry and practical lumbering in the 

 Yale l^orest School. Yale University. 



This movement was inaugurated by the Na- 

 tional Lumber Manufacturers' Association, and 

 till' committee, of which F- E- Weyerhaeuser Is 

 the able chairman, has prepared a pamphlet, on its 



CLEM i;. LLOYD, .JH.. PHILADELPHIA. PA. 



origiu aud purposes aud giving a summary of 

 the work done in the school- This eft'ort has the 

 hearty endorsement of your board of trustees, 

 and at a recent meeting of the board it was 

 decided that the matter should be presented at 

 this meeting and an opportunity given to the 

 members to make such subscriptions to the fund 

 as they might desire- 

 Pride in our association suggests that our 

 subscriptions should be made within our own 

 organization and tendered to the general com- 

 mittee in the aggregate rather than be made 

 direct to the general chairman and credited as 

 the individual donations- 



With a membership of more than three hun- 

 dred, and fifty and an object so deserving of the 

 assistance of those who should be most deeply 

 interested in the practical side of all forestry 

 questions, the board is encouraged to look for a 

 liberal contribution. 



Copies of Mr. Weyerhaeuser's pamphlet may 

 be had from Secretary Perry aud subscriptions 

 may be made on the loose blanks supplied with 

 the" pamphlet, aud may be handed or mailed to 

 the chairman of our forestry committee, with the 

 understanding that they shall be payable only 

 when the entire amount of the fund is assured. 



In conclusion, your attention is called to the 

 bills now before" congress to provide for two 

 additional timber reservations to be known as 

 the Southern Appalachian and White Mountain 

 Forest Reserves, and you are earnestly requested 

 to further the passage of these acts whenever 

 and however the opportunity may offer. 



No better argument can be advanced In their 

 favor than the fact that they are dear to the 

 heart of Gifford Pinchot. 



Speeches on Forestry. 



lion. Gifford Pinchot. chief of the Forest 

 Service of the United States Department of Ag- 



