examined one tract composed of larch which had been cut for mine 

 props. The stumps of course were level with the ground but from 

 them I obtained some very interesting information relative to the 

 stand. The trees were about thirty years old and the tract appeared 

 to have been well tended although thinning was apparently rather 

 haphazard but at regular time intervals. The growth was some- 

 what irregular due to the thinning being done by someone who did 

 not fully understand the requirements, but taking the tract as a 

 whole it was very fair. The trees were cut just as the growth was 

 at a maximum and natural pruning was taking place rapidly. It is 

 a great sacrifice to cut such timber, but of course necessary under the 

 circumstances. Decayed stumps, eighteen inches in diameter at the 

 surface of the ground, indicated a previous growth. Although unable 

 to identify the species and determine the age of the stand, it was 

 interesting to know that there had been a rotation of crops on the 

 land. 



"I also examined a woodlot of Scotch pine which had been cut 

 over for saw logs. The stand was about sixty years old, growing 

 fast and putting on clear lumber. As I stated before to cut timber 

 in such a favorable condition of growth is indeed a great sacrifice. 

 This tract was kept cleared of underbrush and there was evidence 

 that lopping had been practiced in order to hasten natural pruning. 

 Old stumps indicated that the stand had been thinned several times. 

 It was obvious that this stand had been planted, for the spacing was 

 very regular; while on a near-by area which had been cut over 

 within the past five years, the scattered stumps indicated that it had 

 been seeded naturally by trees left along the outskirts of the plot. 



"I have no doubt that there will be state forests in this country 

 after the war, but it is a pity that they should come so late in the 

 history of the country. I sincerely hope that the United States and 

 Canada will profit by such experiences and do something before it 

 is too late. Why is it that the public takes no thought of such things 

 until its absence inconveniences them? Is the general public so 

 selfish that things must effect their pocket-books or inconvenience 

 them in other ways before they will take notice and act? Action 

 is what is needed more than the notice. Does democracy again fall 

 down in this respect? I fear that the idea of democracy as conceived 

 of by a great many people could be expressed by the word selfish- 

 ness." 



"I have found during my travels, that is certainly pays to be 

 an enthusiast. I have already made several good converts to forestry 

 and perhaps they have made others, thus the good work is extended. 

 I believe in preaching forestry and conservation to anybody and 

 everybody who will listen, and in that way little by little the good 

 cause will be carried on to the lasting benefit of the whole human 

 race. We are all too selfish and a little more sincere public welfare 

 v. r ork would do us all good." 



48 



