DISCUSSION 03? THE PINCHOT REPORT 4'o5 



past has not been a forester, and there appears to be little reason why 

 he should have been interested in the practice of forestry. This is 

 especially true here in the West, where the cut has been almost entirely 

 in large-log material. In the Northeast, where paper and novelty 

 manufacture have been carried on, the use of smaller material has 

 been possible and the realization of the possibilities of sustained yield 

 brought closer home. 



Furthermore, it is believed that the devastatipn in Idaho and Mon- 

 tana is not nearly so great as generally conceded. In Montana in the 

 yellow pine type I believe between 40 and 60 per cent of the areas cut 

 over have been left in a productive state — not intentionally, it is true, 

 but still in the mature stands probably in as good condition as if silvi- 

 culturally treated. In Idaho the results have not been so good, but 

 neither have our own results been satisfactory. With the great mixture 

 of species, the fire menace, and the predominance of overmature stands, 

 leaving the land in a productive state is no simple problem. The State 

 law in Idaho requires that slash be disposed of, and in complying with 

 this law much immature growth has been destroyed. However, this 

 growth has been largely made up of inferior species, and the system of 

 broadcast burning was largely the same method we would have used. 

 The agricultural lands sold more readily if partially cleared than if left 

 otherwise. These lands, when cut clean and burned, come up to white 

 clover and afford good grazing, making it possible for the new settler to 

 handle a few head of dairy stock and so obtain some source of revenue 

 during the period of development necessary to bring the raw lands to a 

 productive state. The idea of keeping undeveloped lands productive 

 up to the time of their actual economic need is probably a good one; 

 however, in the management of such lands we have until the immediate 

 present been just as guilty as the lumberman. 



The entire plan of Federal control appeals to me, though there are 

 parts of the plan proper which I believe are more drastic than 

 necessary. 



In establishing regional administrative organizations, I would like to 

 see the Federal law so worded as to make the regional foresters respon- 

 sible through their assistants for the actual accomplishment of the work 

 on the ground. That is, that Federal officers actually decide the plan of 

 cutting to be followed and have immediate direction of it ; the same 

 thing would ai:)ply to l)ru>h dis])osal. It is results we are after, and I 

 cannot make myself believe we would get them any other way. The 



