128 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



or almost total destruction of the forest with the intention of 

 using all the area it occupied for agricultural purposes has 

 proved a failure all over Europe and also in America. The 

 ignorant and wilful destruction of the forest in the fond hope 

 of increasing their grazing lands by the peasants in the highlands 

 of Europe, has proved a costly failure both to themselves and 

 to their countries. Flooding, leaching, erosion, and landslides 

 were only some of the immediate results to correct which and 

 restore the balance in nature millions have been and are being 

 expended. Mr John Arden Ferguson, the author of a valuable 

 and interesting book on Farm Forestry, published as recently 

 as 1 916, has the following remarks to make as regards the 

 origin of the Farm Woodlot in America : — "The area of woodlot 

 and idle land in the country owned by farmers is very large. 

 It was estimated in 1915 by the United States Department of 

 Agriculture to be not less than 200,000,000 acres. This is an 

 area larger than all the National and State forests. It is 

 larger than the states of Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and 

 Mains. The proper use of this vast aggregate area is of 

 considerable importance, not only to the owners but also to the 

 country. It is probable that this area may be somewhat 

 reduced in future years. East of the Mississippi River two- 

 thirds of the farm woodlots lie in the south, where much of 

 the land at present timbered will eventually be cleared for farm 

 purposes as the country becomes more thickly settled. In the 

 older settled regions probably the greater part of the fertile 

 land is already being utilised for growing farm crops. The 

 woodlot land and the farm land are there pretty definitely 

 settled. It is probable that some of the poorer land now being 

 tilled may gradually be abandoned, as it is found to be more 

 valuable for growing trees than for agricultural crops. It will 

 be many years before the land suited for agriculture and that 

 suited for forestry will be definitely determined. In spite of 

 changes that may occur the area in farm woodlots in the 

 country will always be large, and the production of timber on 

 this area will be of great economic importance. It should be 

 used so as to contribute to the national wealth and prosperity. 

 The productive capacity of the 200,000,000 acres of farm 

 woodlots is enormous. It is estimated that if only fairly well 

 stocked with forest trees, that is about 3000 board feet to the 

 acre, the annual growth under forest practice would more than 



