HOW THE FORESTER WORKS 91 



.way. Once started this washing action is a difficult and costly 

 process to stop. If lumbering has already stripped these steep 

 hillsides before they were put under the forester's care, his 

 first step will probably be to plant trees there to form a pro- 

 tection forest. In Europe are many such protection forests. 

 Their purpose is not to supply logs but to protect the soil 

 against beating rains. 



Scattered throughout forested areas the forester often finds 

 pure stands of pine of the same age. This type of forest often 

 springs up when fires destroy the original climax types. In 

 these even aged forests, instead of cutting trees here and there 

 the forester may cut narrow bands through the forest leaving 

 alternate bands of untouched timber. This method is known as 

 clear cutting by the strip method. In later years seed from the 

 pine on the uncut strips will reforest the clear cut portions. 



But there are many cutting methods and combinations of 

 methods modifications to suit varying conditions. Beneath 

 them all the same purpose exists to bring back as quickly 

 as may be a forest capable of producing valuable products at 

 the least cost. 



For forestry, although not wholly a matter of dollars and 

 cents, is an economic undertaking and for the most part for- 

 esters are only justified in making expenditures that they be- 

 lieve will be rewarded by later financial returns. Naturally 

 more costly methods can be used in forests that have products 

 of high value and in forests close to markets than in those not 

 so well situated. It might, for example, be perfectly good eco- 

 nomics to spend large sums for planting in certain cases where 

 quick growth and great demand for forest products give rea- 

 sonable certainty of ample financial rewards. In other forests, 



