INFLUENCES OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS 407 



ernment's plan of cutting in making sales of his timber to private op- 

 erators. This was done with the view of maintaining the land in such 

 condition as to make it more acceptable to the Government as an ad- 

 dition to the National Forests. This land has now passed to the con- 

 trol of the Government. On the other hand, we have to note that in 

 most of the larger timber operations in the Southern Appalachians, 

 there has been no change in former methods of cutting except to make 

 the cutting heavier as result of higher lumber prices. 



Whatever influence there has been in the direction of conservative 

 cutting has been exerted chiefly in the direction of the owner of the 

 small tracts which lie near the National Forests. These owners are 

 in a position to observe the methods employed by the Government and 

 to note their advantages. I am of the opinion that this influence is con- 

 siderable and my expectation is that it will grow as the conditions on 

 the National Forests improve. In this way will the Forests serve as 

 demonstration areas, the influence of which will widen with time. 



Before closing my discussion of this subject, may I suggest that an 

 organization distributed as the National Forest organization is dis- 

 tributed through the Southern Appalachians will become an almost in- 

 valuable aid in case of any movement on the part of the public to 

 exercise further control of private Forests, because the foresters have 

 studied closely the silvicultural conditions of the Southern Appalach- 

 ians, the conditions as respects timber trade and operations. They 

 would know how to go about a plan of regulating private cutting be- 

 cause they have some knowledge of the silvicultural problems involved 

 and they are acquainted with the people. 



Lastly, let me say a word in appreciation of the accomplishments of 

 the technical forester in working out the administration of these Na- 

 tional Forests. xA.t the start we placed technically trained foresters 

 in charge of all the Government-owned lands in the Appalachians. 

 That policy has been strictly adhered to and the results have amply 

 justified it. These men have had to work in the most remote and 

 unknown parts of the Appalachians. They have been the agents by 

 which a completely reversed social and business system has been put 

 into effect. They have accomplished this result not only, but in doing 

 it they have become the trusted leaders of the local people, the men of 

 vision whom the local people now regard as among their best friends 

 and to whom very generally they are willing to give their utmost aid 

 and co-operation. In my judgment the Government's accomplishment 

 in this undertaking has been increased at least a hundred per cent by 

 this policy. 



