193 



the afforestation of denuded and waste lands. It cannot be too strongly 

 emphasized that in such work the state is not entering into competition 

 with nurserymen, but is merely endeavoring to meet exceptional needs 

 which lie beyond the field of ordinary nursery organization and pui-pose. 

 It would of course be better if a series of imrseries could be established 

 so located as to give not merely the best conditions for the growth 

 of the seedlings, but also to meet the needs of different localities. This re- 

 finement of method is perhaps beyond the bounds of reasonable ex- 

 pectation, but certainly the supply of dcsiral)le species true to type at 

 the minimum cost is another step in a constructive forest poli(-y. Apparent 

 difliculties cannot be considered in this connection, but in the main they 

 will be found to concern details capable of a fairly easy adjustment : none 

 seem to be fundamental. 



A third step in a constructive forest policy would be the organization 

 of a series of cooperative plantings. In this case the landowner and 

 state cooperate. The proper official selects and furnishes the young 

 trees, personally oversees their planting and gives direction for their 

 future care. The landowner pays transportation charges on the seedlings 

 and furnishes the labor iuvolveil in the planting : he also agrees to fol- 

 low the directions for after care and to make report upon the planting 

 at specified times. The adv'antage is t\Ad-fold : the constructive work of 

 the Board of Forestry covers a large part of the state, while the land- 

 owner secures expert advice and material in return for his labor and 

 care. This plan has been in successful operation in Ohio for a number of 

 years with extremely satisfactory results in the majority of cases. Of 

 course in this as in all other cooperative enterprises an occasional man 

 fails to keep faith. Practically the same plan prevails in all agricultural 

 colleges. Purdue University has cooperative plats in all parts of the state 

 isearing upon every form of croi> from alfalfa to ;ipples. Such cooperation 

 would involve Imt little expense if the office of field expert in Forestry 

 were created and a state nursery established. Indeed, the expense involved 

 in the salary of a field expert, in the establishment and maintenance of 

 state nurseries for furnishing tree seedlings and in the institution of a 

 series of cooperative plantings taken together would seem absurdly small 

 when compared with the interests involved. 



Successful tree planting, which is only another name for successful for- 

 estry, is in a certain sense an essentially local ])ro]iosition. So much de- 



13—1019 



