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furnish not only the hope but the assurance of the future, if, and only if, 
they are intelligently managed. All of the timber lands in the state, with 
the exception of the State Forest Reservation, is held by private owners. 
As a rule these holdings are relatively small and our forests may be ¢on- 
sidered as made up of a large number of wood lots. It is a fact that can- 
not be too often repeated or over emphasized, that it is a much more cer- 
tain and a much cheaper process to maintain and improve an existing 
stand of timber than to produce a new one by planting. Not only is it 
much surer and cheaper, but it is also much more rapid. 
The problem of the future of the forests of Indiana is merely the 
problem of securing the proper handling and care of the wood lots and 
small timbered areas held by individual owners. If such areas are wisely 
handled and conservatively lumbered there is no reason why they should 
not for years yield a steady and increasing income and at the same time 
show a marked increase in quality and value. In other words the problem 
of the future timber supply in the state is very largely a problem of edu- 
sation. Owners of timbered tracts must be brought to a realization of the 
value of such holdings and trained in methods of management which will 
secure the results indicated. It must be shown also that such methods of 
management are profitable, for unless this can be done no method, how- 
ever theoretically desirable it may be shown to be, will ever come into 
general use. The real peril lies in the fact that this process of education 
is a very slow one and that existing timber areas may be greatly reduced 
in value or completely destroyed before a knowledge of the better methods 
has become common property. An examination of a number of such tracts 
covering many counties of the state indicates fairly well what may be con- 
sidered the average condition of the forests of Indiana today. 
Almost without exception these timbered areas are used as pasture 
land, and have, in most instances, been so heavily overpastured as to prac- 
tically destroy all prospects of the regeneration of the forest after the re- 
moval of the present trees. An examination of seventeen such wood lot 
pasture tracts during the past season which were distributed through 
twelve counties of the state, revealed the fact that in not a single one 
could any young seedlings or healthy, well formed saplings be found. Any 
system of management under such conditions is perfectly useless. Unless 
the condition of the wood lot areas is improved and the regeneration of 
the forests provided for by an abundant and vigorous growth of seedlings, 
the end of our forests is not far distant. 
