FORESTRY QUARTERLY 



Vol. X] June, 1912. [No. 2. 



LIBRARV 



NATIONAL FOREST TIMBER SALE CONTRACT 



CLAUSES.** NEwToRK 



BOTANICAL 



By Theodore S. Wooesey, Jr. GAki^^^'-'*' 



When the Forest Service took over the administration of 

 "Forest Reserves"* on February i, 1905, one of the most im- 

 portant problems of detail was the standardization of timber sale 

 contracts. There were no fixed precedents to go by. Moreover, 

 it was necessary to have a very clear idea of what was practicable 

 from the lumberman's viewpoint, and how the silvical needs of 

 the Forest could best be met by conservative restrictions on the 

 ordinary rough and tumble slash methods that were followed by 

 private loggers. These contract restrictions had to be so clearly 

 stated that no misinterpretation was possible ; and practicable, so 

 they could be enforced. Therefore the first step was to become 

 very familiar with local conditions. This took time and study; 

 consequently it is not surprising that early contracts were crude, 

 judged by present standards. Many operators in the west signed 

 the early timber sale contracts blindly because they did not believe 

 all the regulations and rules would be rigidly enforced. This mis- 

 understanding caused a great deal of needless friction until it was 

 understood that Forest Service contracts meant what they stated ; 

 if impracticable in any respect the proper redress was a formal 

 modification instead of expecting local officers to wink at open 

 violation. A study of recent contracts gives an illuminating idea 

 of the present timber sale policy and practice of the Forest Ser- 

 vice ; moreover, many of the restrictions could be applied directly 

 in state or private operations and consequently are of interest to 

 the profession. But it must be remembered that the Forest Ser- 



**Written February 10, 1912. 

 *Now called National Forests. 



