FORESTRY IN THE UNITED STATES 103 



Service begun. The detailed working out of this system is 

 the subject of a later chapter. 



With this Federal Forest Service as a precedent the States 

 themselves began setting aside portions of their own wooded 

 areas and today over eight-and-a-half million acres of forest 

 land have been placed in State forests. The States, too, have 

 come to see their own need for forest departments and thirty- 

 three of the thirty-nine forested States have organized forestry 

 divisions. The states vary widely in their acceptance of forestry. 

 In some, forestry is still the football of predatory politics. Others 

 have adopted more advanced methods than the federal govern- 

 ment itself. More important still, they are finding that money 

 spent for forest lands and for reforestation is a good investment. 

 Pennsylvania, for example, one of the pioneer forestry States, 

 owns more than a million acres of forest land, bought from 

 private owners with State funds. Today these lands are worth 

 five times the amount they cost. 



During recent years tree planting has received great stimulus 

 in the States largely because of the help that the Federal Gov- 

 ernment has been able to give. In 1925 only thirteen States 

 were distributing planting stock to its citizens. Thirty-two 

 States are now engaged in this activity. Nevertheless it is go- 

 ing to be necessary to speed up America's planting program at 

 least ten times in order to reforest our denuded lands with 

 reasonable promptness. 



The fire problem, the greatest single obstacle to forestry, 

 is being attacked by States and Federal governments and 

 private timber owners. Under recent legislation the Federal 

 Government and thirty-three State governments are presenting 

 a united front in this long and bitter battle against forest fires. 



