194 



pciids upon tlic {|ii;ility and cliaractci- of llic soil, npuii the watci' Icvc! or tlic 

 soil, upon the climate, exposure, topoijrapliy and a host of other factors, 

 that what might be good practice upon one tract would l)e had practice 

 ui)OU auotlier possilily l(ut sliuditly removed. All of which means that 

 deductions drawn from the study of a single area cannot lie safely applied 

 over the area of a state. Concretely, the deductions drawn from the ex- 

 perimental studies at the Forest Heservatlon are applicable only to like 

 ai'eas. that is to those with similar escological conditions. They are not ap- 

 lilicable to the conditions ])revailing in the central counties and are of lit- 

 tle signiticaiK-e so far as the sand-dnne regions of the state are conc(>rned. 

 So much depends upon the soil character as regards the health and vigor 

 and rapidity of growth of the tree that, it nmst always be taken into ac- 

 count. In ;in area such as Indiana, elevation and climate are so nearly 

 uniform as to be negligible, but the soil is in different case. As each spe- 

 cies has its optimum soil any constructive forest polic.v will jirovide for 

 demonstration areas .>^o iocjited as to re])i'es(>nt cxcr.v type of soil found in 

 tile state. This would hivohc the purchase of land unless arrangements 

 could be made to utilize some of the holdings of properly located state in- 

 stitutions. That the ac(iuisition of land by the state for forestal purpose is 

 regarded as sound economic policy is plainl.v .shown by the large and con- 

 stantly increasing area of such holdings in New York. Peinisylvania, Michi- 

 gan. Minnesota, and other states. The tracts need not be large foi' the 

 accomplishment of the desiicil pnrjiose. so that the entire amount rcipiiriMl 

 would probably not (>xccc(l I'OO or :!()(» acres. For the success of such work 

 absolute control of rlie Iracls should lie vested in the State I'.oanl of 

 Forestr.v. ;i lact wliicji ni;ikc> purchase nioi-e desirable than a use by suf- 

 ferance of tile lands of st.itc insfitulions. .Vn ;itt(>nipt to cjirry out the 

 suggestion ot foi-nier (iovernor .Marsli:ill that such denioiisti-;ition iilats 

 sJniuld be opci'ated njion c(Mint,\- fai'ni'^ showed the extreme dilliculties at- 

 tending t'.ie N'ery lirst steps in siich joint <'ontriil. 



If we consider the pi'olilem of the recovering of denuded and waste 

 area^- the nei-essitv <'l' tlie e\ii"rt lield agent licconic^ nion^ apparent. Whai 

 to pl.-int in an.v gi\en localitv is a iirohleni invohing a very wide range of 

 I'actors ruinnng from silvical requii'cnients to econonnc conditions. \vt a 

 consideration of ;ill of these factors is absolutely essential if the work 

 liroves at all |irolitable. From the merely sil\ical st;mdiioint it is per- 

 lia|(s natui-al to infer that the species thai ha\i' grown upon any mven 

 area, having prov-ed tbeii- lilness I'm- the pa rt iciil.-ii- locality. ;n-e the ones 



