1476 A NATIONAL PLAN FOB AMERICAN FORESTRY 



conditions are favorable for profitable timber production; perhaps a 

 million acres in this category ought to be under intensive forest 

 management. The relatively large area of abandoned farm land and 

 denuded forest land in need of planting in this region will eventually 

 contribute materially to the total area under intensive forestry. Al- 

 together, intensive forestry may perhaps be extended to 10 or 15 

 million acres in this region. 



In the hill forests of the region cuttings should be made to release 

 the high-value species black walnut, black cherry, ash, and yellow 

 poplar so that they will be more abundant in the next crop and grow 

 to large size; white oak, red oak, and hickory are other valuable 

 species that should be encouraged in these forests. 



An excellent opportunity for intensive forestry is offered by the 

 farm woods of this region, which may be considerably augmented 

 by tree planting, already begun on a small scale. Most woodlands 

 lack adequate growing stock and require an increase in the number 

 trees per acre. This increase can be obtained only by eliminating 

 pasturing in the woods, which may be expected to lead to successful 

 natural reproduction. If natural seeding fails, planting will be 

 necessary. It is essential to the rehabilitation of these woods that 

 cutting be postponed until the woods are better stocked. 



Striking illustrations can be cited of the incomes which can be 

 derived from well-stocked woods intelligently cut on a selection sys- 

 tem. The Mennonites of northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio, 

 coming to this country from Switzerland with a background of famil- 

 iarity with forestry practices, have consistently practiced conservative 

 selective cutting on their woodlands. One of these Mennonites has 

 received in cash over a 13-year period a total of $10,457.73 for the 

 products cut from 75 acres of woodland. This represents a gross 

 return of $10.73 per acre per year. Since no outside labor was em- 

 ployed and the work was done at times when the man and teams 

 would otherwise have been idle, the returns per acre compare very 

 favorably with the gross return of less than $19 per acre for all 

 cereals grown in Indiana in 1929. In addition to the products sold, 

 this farmer has obtained without cost the fuel, fence posts, and 

 lumber needed on his own farm. Meanwhile the woodland remains 

 in excellent condition. At present the tract is at least 90 percent 

 stocked. 



SOUTH 



In the Appalachian, South Atlantic, Gulf, and Lower Mississippi 

 States are several primary forest types which are favorable for 

 intensive forestry, namely the longleaf-slash pine type, the shortleaf 

 loblolly-hardwood type, the bottomland hardwood type, the oak- 

 chestnut-yellow poplar type, and the oak-pine type. The first 

 three are particularly favorable; they have high potential yields and 

 are accessible to market, and full production can be realized at a 

 reasonable expenditure. Present practices in general are far from 

 satisfactory, and the opportunities are wide open for stepping up 

 production. It appears that much of the increased production 

 necessary to balance the Nation's timber budget might be attained 

 the adoption of intensive practices on the best land in this region. 



It is estimated that between 18 and 19 million acres of the longleaf- 

 slash, shortleaf -loblolly -hardwood, and bottomland hardwood types 



