1076 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



aid has had a stabilizing influence through the increased forest values 

 which have resulted. Federal aid has promoted protection, but the 

 whole of protection is only one element, though a very necessary ele- 

 ment, in the development of the forests for use under private 

 ownership. 



During the transition period between that in which the main supply 

 of timber comes from old growth and that in which it will come from 

 regrown timber on lands previously cut over, the practice of forestry 

 by the private owner will, it is believed, slowly but steadily increase. 

 There may be many set-backs. The final classification of lands which 

 should be devoted to forest uses has not yet been made. But fire 

 protection remains the necessary condition in the absence of which the 

 practicability of forestry can hardly be intelligently determined. 

 Moreover, fire protection is of distinct social and economic advantage, 

 whether or not it is now leading owners to planned and intensive 

 forest management. 



In the case of second-growth stands as contrasted with old-growth 

 stands, the significance of protection, even in the absence of conscious 

 silvicultural management, is relatively great, and it is with the pro- 

 tection of second-growth stands that the public is principally concerned. 

 When second growth comes into yield, the operator seldom makes a 

 clean sweep of the stand. As compared with logging in the virgin 

 forest, operations are on a smaller scale, leaving more chance for 

 natural restocking. Cutting a smaller proportion of the trees fre- 

 quently presents to the owner the natural means of securing quick 

 returns. Self-interest of such an owner leads him into some form of 

 selective logging, and the result is less devastation over large areas. 

 This means that second-growth stands can be made continuously 

 productive under protection alone to a much greater extent than may 

 be generally supposed. 



FEDERAL AID IN FARM FOREST PLANTING 



Prior to 1925 there was an active demand for forest planting stock 

 in many States in excess of the supply. Only 18 States were distrib- 

 uting trees for forest planting. Farmers own about 127 million acres 

 of forest land, much of which can be greatly improved by planting. 

 They own much land which has been abandoned for agricultural crops, 

 but which can be profitably utilized if planted to trees. Such a 

 venture is possible to the farmer only if he can secure the right trees 

 of the right size, in quantity, at low cost. He could not find such 

 opportunities in the open market. 



Section 4 of the Clarke-McNary Act provided for the first time for 

 Federal cooperation with the States in the production and distribution 

 of trees for farm planting. In the words of the law, the Secretary of 

 Agriculture is authorized and directed 



To cooperate with the various States in the procurement, production, and dis- 

 tribution of forest-tree seeds and plants, for the purpose of establishing wind- 

 breaks, shelter belts, and farm woodlots upon denuded or nonf orested lands within 

 such cooperating States, under such conditions and requirements as he may pre- 

 scribe to the end that forest-tree seeds or plants so procured, produced, or dis- 

 tributed shall be used effectively for planting denuded or nonforested lands in 

 the cooperating States and growing timber thereon: * * *. 



This section includes the usual limitation of Federal expenditures 

 to amounts not exceeding those expended by the State for the same 



