264 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



Were this payment to be the cost vakie to the Government of the hold- 

 ing of the land to date, it would result in the alienation of all profitable 

 projects as soon as the timber was ripe for cutting, leaving the unprofit- 

 able land in the hands of the Government. Were the payment to be 

 market value or expectation value (in the case of young timber) there 

 would be no reason for the owner to exercise his option except in the 

 case of a faulty valuation. Any plan would leave the Government's 

 silviculture and management alike at the mercy of such unpredictable 

 influences as a further shrinkage of. the value of the dollar. No benefits 

 can be seen sufficient to offset these possibilities. 



Character of Land to be Leased 



In general only such land should be leased as will further the ends 

 of the plan ; that is, the increase of timber production. This means 

 practically the restriction of leasing to cut-over lands on which the new 

 crop has not yet passed through the critical, juvenile stage. On account 

 of the vast areas available as compared to the probable magnitude of 

 any plan which may be adopted, tracts necessitating extensive and 

 doubtful reforestation should be avoided. Land of high value for 

 agriculture should also be avoided. Great freedom, however, should 

 be left the administration as exceptions to these principles probably 

 will be desirable in blocking out proper units for management. 



Nation-al vs. State Acquisition 



There is no reason why the plan herein recommended should not 

 be adopted both by the nation and by individual States as well. As 

 only a few States are as yet in a position for immediate action along 

 such lines, it is recommended, however, that the national program be 

 organized without regard to possible State competition. If this de- 

 velops, later on, a co-operative adjustment through the adoption of 

 national and State purchase zones should offer no difficulties. 



A dininistration 



The administration of the plan should be in the hands of the U. S. 

 Forest Service. 



Rate of Acquisition 



There is probably in the neighborhood of 2,000,000 acres of land 

 unsuited for agriculture cut over each year. There are also many 



