A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



275 



of the same products by other processes and from other raw materials 

 at costs that could not be met by the average wood-distillation plant. 



TABLE 13. Consumption of wood in minor products, specified years, 1900-29 

 [Forest Service in cooperation with the Bureau of the Census] 



Log scale. 



SUMMARY 



As used herein, the term "timber requirements" denotes a measure 

 of use by consumers afforded a reasonable latitude in choice of ma- 

 terials, including wood. Its only tangible measure is volume of past 

 and current consumption. 



Future timber requirements cannot be definitely forecast. Sound 

 policy-making, however, demands that they be anticipated as closely 

 as possible. The data for basing such a program must be supplied 

 by past experience, and the factors which have controlled or influenced 

 trends in consumption. It is the long-time trend, rather than con- 



