PLANTING IN RELATION TO THE FUTURE 177 



has just been announced that a commission, which has been investigat- 

 ing the forestry situation in England, has recommended that 1,000,000 

 acres be reforested and has formulated definite plans for the work. 

 Even battle-worn France several months ago requested 1,000 pounds 

 of Douglas-fir seed for reforestation purposes, which indicates the im- 

 portance she places upon perpetuating her forests. The point is that 

 it will not be necessary to start in immediately upon extensive planting 

 operations, provided we at once formulate our policy, draw up our 

 plans, and announce them to the public. 



During the meantime investigations covering a wide range of condi- 

 tions from the efifect of grazing upon reproduction in various types to 

 the proper species and methods of planting can be started, and if neces- 

 sary a start can be made upon the reduction of grazing in accordance 

 with the Forester's announced policy "that grazing must give way to 

 forestry when there is a conflict." We recognize that grazing has a 

 certain value in the present forest and undoubtedly will have, to a less 

 extent, in the future fully stocked stand in the protection it affords 

 through the use of luxuriant forage crops. There will be also certain 

 minor types which possibly will be permanently valuable principally for 

 grazing, including wet parks and willow lands. But many of these 

 points are of uncertain status and it is our duty to determine the correct 

 use of all lands. 



Let us preserve the integrity of our present forests, which we have 

 been reducing and compacting during the past ten years until it would 

 seem that a halt must be called if we would have anything left but rock 

 slides and land above timberline. Let us put them to their proper use 

 in the practice of forestry and water protection and subordinate graz- 

 ing to its proper place, which must be determined by thorough investi- 

 gation. Let us formulate a definite planting policy that will finally 

 establish a forest cover on the large treeless areas within our bound- 

 aries, thus increasing the water-storing capacity of our Forests, so that 

 more desert lands may be reclaimed, and providing timber for the 

 future, when our present supplies will long since have been exhausted. 



