THE FARM WOODLAND AND SMALL TIMBER TRACTS 223 



using careful cutting methods intended to permit natural regeneration 

 on over 10 million acres. About 40 companies were attempting to 

 put their holdings on a sustained yield basis on 3 l /2 million acres. 

 There were 253 companies providing effective fire control indepen- 

 dently of public cooperation in addition to other forestry activities 

 on about 17 million acres. Seventy-five companies were practicing 

 close and intensive forms of utilization on their logging operations on 

 about 5 million acres. Fifteen companies maintained nurseries for 

 growing trees for planting, the number of trees produced annually 

 being 30 million. Seventy-six companies were planting trees and had 

 planted over 100,000 acres. In addition to these definite advances in 

 the practice of forestry on private holdings, 79 companies employed 

 foresters in timber production, the total number employed being 146. 

 Seventy-seven companies use consulting foresters on a part-time basis. 

 Sixty companies were spending money to eliminate or control insects 

 or diseases, and 46 companies in the South and Southeast were using 

 improved methods in turpentining operations on 1,500,000 acres of 

 longleaf and slash pines (chiefly second-growth timber). Some com- 

 panies have logged their forests two or three times and still have a 

 good stand of rapidly growing young timber for another cut. 



These figures indicate a very definite forward advance in the 

 progress of forestry on private holdings. 



Some of the best opportunities are on farmer's woodlots, and much 

 progress has been made there. However, a very large opportunity 

 exists for improved practice of forestry on the smaller tracts and 

 woodlots, especially east of the Mississippi River, as indicated else- 

 where in the text. 



3. THE FARM WOODLAND AND THE SMALL TIMBER TRACTS 



The farm woodlands offer excellent opportunities for the practice 

 of forestry, and considerable progress has been made in that impor- 

 tant private ownership group. 



Farm woodlands comprise 25% of all the commercial forest land 

 of the nation about 126 million acres. East of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains they include more than three-fifths of all the forest. Probably 

 the most stable form of private ownership is represented in these 

 small tracts. A crude form of forestry has generally been practiced 

 on these properties, which are usually from 5 to 50 acres or more in 

 extent and constitute an important part of the farm. These wood- 

 lands have supplied fuelwood for home consumption (generally about 

 17 cords per family per year), or for sale. They are also an impor- 



