296 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



the situation, we who are in the best position to jndge, are silent. 

 When we rent a house we expect it to be returned to us by the lessee 

 at the end of the rental period, but when we rent a forest w^e do not 

 insist upon its return; instead we get a few inferior trees and lots of 

 brush. On much of the burned-over areas not even the soil is re- 

 turned — no soil, at least, capable of reproducing the forest we have 

 "leased." Suppose you rented a house and discovered that the lessee 

 was taking some of the bricks away; each year an increasing number 

 of bricks. You would realize that the future earning capacity of the 

 house was being gradually lessened and in the end completely ruined. 

 You would, of course, try to prevent the lessee rendering your property 

 practically valueless; but suppose your neighbors said: "Oh, no; you 

 must not do that. That would interfere with your lessee's business." 

 Would you think their argument logical ; would \-ou allow them to 

 restrain you from the legitimate protection of your property? It is 

 our business as foresters to produce timber continuously on a given 

 area. We fail in this if we allow our capital stock to diminish with 

 each cutting until it finally reaches the vanishing point. In such case we 

 are not foresters; we are very poor business managers. And, more- 

 over, we are not true to our trust; we discredit our profession if we 

 allow such practices to go on not only without protest, but also without 

 actively working for remedial measures. 



It is far from my intention to say anything that even by inference 

 could be considered unappreciative of the untiring, unselfish efiforts of 

 a few devoted and noble men in the cause of forestry in this country; 

 but they have been as scouts sent out by the Lord into the promised 

 land. It develops upon us of the younger generation to fight for the 

 possession of that promised land of continuous forest production upon 

 which we believe the continuous prosperity of our country depends. 

 In order to win the fight we must discard certain inhibiting mental 

 attitudes, and by actual measurement and record of the behavior of the 

 forest under various conditions we must lay the foundation for a dis- 

 tinctive Canadian silviculture. It is a big job; it will recjuire courage, 

 persistence, and resolution. But the ultimate success will be w'orth the 

 cost, and the consciousness that we have done our bit in sustaining the 

 forest industries, thus in maintaining the economic freedom of our 

 country in time of peace as well as in time of war, will be our reward. 



