82 FORESTS AND MANKIND 



the lessons of history behind us, only about ten or fifteen per 

 cent of the world's timber lands is being handled as a renew- 

 able crop. The other ninety per cent still receives little or no 

 protection. In many parts of the world economic conditions 

 make it extremely unlikely that forestry will be practiced for 

 years, economic conditions and man's reluctance to change 

 past habits. Even where there already exists a pressing need 

 for reforestation and forest protection, we are very slow in ac- 

 cepting the inevitable. We put off as long as we can the day 

 when we may no longer receive nature's bounty without help- 

 ing her replenish the forest wealth of the world. 



In the face of our enormous use of wood it will not be so 

 many years before this day arrives. Already we are passing 

 out of the carefree times when apparently limitless resources 

 made it unnecessary to think of economy or replacement. Here 

 in the United States the days of free wood are passing for- 

 ever behind us. We must provide for future crops, or go with- 

 out. It is the universal law, true here and throughout the world. 

 It is the great law of land use that ultimately for the welfare 

 of the nations, each acre must be made to produce the crop 

 best suited to that acre, whether it be wheat, grass, or wood. 



