394 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



A study of Laurel County, Ky., 63 by the Division of Land Economics, 

 United States Department of Agriculture, and the University of Ken- 

 tucky, led to the conclusion that cropping land for corn on steep 

 slopes results in rapid erosion and early abandonment ; that the cycle 

 of subsequent reclearing and recultivation leads to decline in soil and 

 economic returns to the point where returns are less than direct 

 costs; that this is the condition on 25 percent of the crop land at 

 the present time; that on an additional 19 percent soil " mining" 

 was necessary to cover costs; and that 4 out of every 10 acres of 

 crop land are losing money. 



In his similar study in Knott County, Craig found that all the 

 better agricultural land on these slopes has been made nonarable 

 through erosion. 



A recent study in West Virginia 64 found that 85 percent of the 

 locally raised taxes were absorbed by schools and roads, and that 

 ''although the maximum rates permitted by law have been levied 

 for most purposes, deficits are common, particularly in the general 

 county and the various school levies. The deficits are becoming more 

 frequent on account of the declining value of agricultural, coal, and 

 timber lands. " Another West Virginia investigation 65 pointed out 

 that the prosperity and well-being of farmers is closely related to 

 the soil type and topography of their farms. 



It is thus shown that a considerable part of the problem of the 

 agricultural lands is also a problem, and an important one, of the 

 forestry problem on watershed lands. The seriousness of the situa- 

 tion is too great to be ignored, and the area is far too large to be 

 left to take care of itself. The social phases no less than the strictly 

 economic phases require thoughtful consideration. Since con- 

 ditions of stream flow have been unbalanced by the removal and the 

 deterioration of the forest, they may be improved by reestablishing 

 the forest on denuded lands and by building up the forest where 

 it has deteriorated. 



SUMMARY 



The problems of watershed are among the most important ones 

 which confront the communities of the Ohio Valley. Floods causing 

 yearly damage of about $4,600,000 and as high as $180,000,000 are 

 on the increase; domestic water supplies are inadequate and too 

 frequently drawn from questionable sources. Erosion is destroying 

 or else robbing the producing capacity of millions of acres of the 

 soils, especially those which have been exposed injudiciously. Hydro- 

 electric power of some 2 million horsepower has immense potenti- 

 alities, the full realization of which depends on the regulation of 

 stream flow and the elimination of a heavy burden of debris and 

 soil wash. The maintenance of navigation is being heavily subsi- 

 dized at public cost with inadequate attention to the watershed 

 concerned. Over the last 11 years, about 15, 738,000- tons of freight 

 have been shipped annually on the Ohio River alone, whereas in 1930 

 all shipments by water were some 22,337,000 tons. 



63 Clayton, C. F., and Nicholls, W. D., Land Utilization in Laurel County, Ky. U.S.Dept.Agr- 

 Tech. Bui. 289. 1932. 



6< Peck, M., Frank, B., and Eke, P. A., Economic Utilization of Marginal Lands in Nicholas and 

 Webster Counties, W.Va. U.S.Dept.Agr.Tech.Bul. 303. 1932. 



es Phillips, S. W. 1925-Soil Survey of Nicholas County, West Virginia, U.S.Dept.Agr.Bur. Soils 

 Field Operations. 1920. Rpt. 22. 39-59 illus. 



