XXXIV INTRODUCTION 



specimens of the more valuable species, because of the quality of 

 the soil their potential power for the production of wood of high 

 quality is very great. When due attention is paid to fellings and 

 when judicious thinnings are practiced, they can often be kept at 

 their maximum production without the necessity for seeding and 

 planting. In the past, however, the best trees have usually been 

 cut as the market has developed until nothing is left but forest 

 weeds and culls. The stand is so open and composed of such in- 

 ferior species that natural reproduction of desirable timber in 

 full stand is no longer possible. Seeding and planting must be 

 resorted to in order to change the character of the stand or to fill 

 the blanks left from natural seeding. 



In many agricultural regions there is already a dearth of wood 

 for local use. In such regions agricultural soil can often be 

 profitably taken for the growing of timber, particularly when it 

 is grown under a short rotation for posts, poles, and other similar 

 purposes. Not only is seeding and planting constantly increasing 

 in the agricultural regions, but it is being accomplished with much 

 better judgment. Many individuals and corporations have, in 

 recent years, begun to plant on a large scale and the demand for 

 seed and nursery stock has increased with marked rapidity. 



11. REFORESTATION BY THE STATE 



The National Forests were segregated from the unoccupied 

 public lands, consequently they are nearly all in the western half 

 of the country. The West is well provided with reserved forest 

 property, and for that region the future forest resources are 

 reasonably well assured. As much cannot be said for the East 

 where practically all lands suitable for National Forests passed 

 from the government to private control many years ago. Al- 

 though originally a region of unsurpassed forest resources, as yet 

 scarcely a beginning has been made in providing for the future. 

 We cannot expect that the national government will appropriate 

 the large sums of money required to purchase all of the reserved 

 forests necessary in the East for our future requirements. Here 

 the outlook for forest conservation must largely rest with the 

 states and the lesser governmental units and with private owners. 



The management of the forest lands of the East cannot be 

 safely left to the private owner. The states must exercise fore- 

 sight by employing every means in their power to conserve and 



