832 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



It is certain that under a "cut equals growth" regulation, during the 

 first period, the cut in the United States would be from one-third to 

 two-fifths less than, the amount used. 



It is believed, however, that if adequate fire protection is given, the 

 cut can be increased considerably during the next years, until normal 

 production is reached or reasonably approached in say one hundred 

 years. For this reason : 



The forests of the United States are nozv understocked. The virgin 

 forests cover 135 million acres and support 1,500 billion feet, board 

 measure. This is about 11,000 feet per acre, for the growing stock 

 (Ga) of average acre. The culled and second growth forests are not 

 nearly as well stocked as this, hut they are not considered in this 

 figuring. The yield (y,.) of the average forest certainly should be over 

 30,000 feet ; and the growing stock then, of the average acre, should be 

 15,000 feet. Fifteen thousand is 4,000 more than the present actual 

 growing stock, indicating that the forest is nearly 25 per cent under- 

 stocked. Up to good stocking with the increase in volume of growing 

 stock, the growth increases ; and with the increase in growth comes an 

 increase in possible cut. Under sustained annual yield and adequate 

 protection the volume of the growing stock will be built up. If the 

 virgin forests were well stocked, their volume should be 2,025 billion 

 feet instead of 1,500 billion feet. 



We will certainly come to this reduced cut in a few years, but to 

 thrust this upon the Nation of a sudden is not advisable. 



It is here that Professor Roth's plan is of large value. It is a plan 

 which would be used for a short period of years at best. It does not 

 necessitate immediate reduction of cut, but does lead eventually to sus- 

 tained annual yield, to a regulation by area with volume check. Under 

 his plan forest properties would tend to bunch up, large Government, 

 State, and private holdings would result, making conditions suitable for 

 establishment of forest businesses. 



This plan is an enforced first step in the direction of such an estab- 

 lishment. It has been shown in this article that such a condition is 

 eminently needed. Until this condition obtains, however, under Pro- 

 fessor Roth's plan the forest would not be diminished in acreage and 

 forest devastation would be checked. 



Two features of the plan, thus, should not be overlooked : 



1. It is temporary, leading to complete regulation. 



