Current Literature. 107 



The Cost of Gronnng Timber. By R. S. Kellogg and E. A. 

 Ziegler. Reprint from American Lumberman, December 31, 

 1910. Pp. 18. 



There are five elements of cost in growing timber; (i) The 

 value of the land; (2) the stocking of it with young trees; (3) 

 the administration of the operation and the protection of the 

 growing timber; (4) the taxes; (5) the rate of interest. It is 

 assumed that the value of forest land unfit for ordinary agricul- 

 ture is worth $3 per acre and a charge of $7 per acre is allowed 

 for fully planting or it is assumed that fully stocked land where 

 natural reproduction occurs is worth $10 per acre. The cost of 

 administration and protection will vary widely but are conserva- 

 tively estimated at 5 cents per acre. Taxes are assumed to be 

 equivalent to 10 cents per acre per year but emphasis is placed 

 upon the desirability of a change in method of taxation. A 4 per 

 cent, rate of interest is assumed in all calculations. Tables are 

 then given for 6 important species comprising white pine, loblolly 

 pine, longleaf pine, red oak, yellow poplar and Douglas fir for 

 which there is a large amount of reliable growth data. The 

 conclusions are that white pine will yield 4 to 6 per cent, 

 compound interest for a 40 to 70 year investment ; loblolly pine 4 

 per cent, for 30 to 50 years, and that red oak, yellow poplar and 

 Douglas fir will soon bring remunerative prices. While the 

 discussion is only an approach toward the ideas of proper forest 

 management it is a very instructive one and the tables should be 

 of considerable value to students in the forest schools. F. J. P. 



The Conservation of Natural Resources in the United States. 

 By C. R. Van Hise. New York. 1910. Pp. 413. 



Van Hise has considered the subject of conservation of our 

 natural resources under the headings of Mineral Resources, 

 Water, Forests, The Land, and Mankind, together with a chapter 

 of Appendices. He states that this modern movement is the 

 direct result of the work of scientific men and gives especial 

 prominence to the memorials of 1873 and 1890 to Congress from 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Science, to Mr. 

 Pinchot and the Conference of Governors. It is clearly recog- 

 nized that the work in forestry has been the forerunner in this 



