FOREST DEVASTATION !>25 



by 32 owners. In Louisiana, 27 holders own more than (1,000,000 acres. 

 In the Pacific Northwest, 3 owners have more than 9,000,000 acres. 

 And these are but typical instances. 



POLICY 01- THE OWNF.RS OK THE PRIVATELY HELD TIMBER AND TIMBERL.AND 



The United States Commissioner of Corporations, having conducted 

 a very detailed investigation as to the timber situation, in his report to 

 Congress on The Lumber Industry, says (Part L p. XXII) : 



"The largest holders are cutting little of their timber. They thus reserve to 

 themselves those incalculable profits which are still to accrue with the growth 

 of the country, the diminishing timber supply and the further concentration and 

 control thereof. * * * The fact that mature timber is thus withheld from use 

 is clear evidence that great additional profits are expected to accrue through 

 further increase in value. * * * Standing timber is not the only question. 

 When the timber is cut the land remains. There has been created, therefore, 

 not only the framework of an enormous timber monopoly but also an equally 

 sinister land concentration. This involves also a great wealth in minerals. 

 * * * Finally, to timber concentration and to land concentration is added, in 

 our most important timber section, a closely connected railroad domination. 

 The formidable possibilities of this combination are of the gravest public im- 

 portance. * * * The concentration already existing is sufficiently impressive. 

 Still more impressive are the possibilities for the future." 



OUR ANNUAL CONSUMPTION OF TIMBER IS 100 BILLION FEET 



The wood we are now using each year amounts to 100 billion feet 

 board measure. Of this, about 50 billion feet is lumber and other 

 products cut from trees big enough to saw^ Most of the balance comes 

 from timber of less than saw-log size or quality. This rate of con- 

 sumption can not be maintained. 



OUR PRESENT ANNUAL GROWTH OF TIMBER IS 35 BILLION FEET 



Our total yearly growth of timber amounts to about 35 billion feet, 

 or less than half our annual consumption. The annual cut is nearly three 

 times the annual growth. Much of the new growth, moreover, being 

 young, accidental, and untended, is of poor quality. Artificial forest 

 plantations are negligible in amount. The annual growth of material 

 which will make sawed lumber is only about 9 billion feet, and some 

 2 billion feet is destroyed each year by fires and other causes, so that 

 our net annual increment in lumber is only one-fifth of the amount we 

 cut. 



