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owners to clear land. There is a widespread belief that forests should 

 be exempt from taxation, basing the claim on the communal benefit of the 

 forest. 



To summarize : 



Indiana is essentially an agricultural State. 



It is divided into small farms, averaging one hundred three acres, all 

 of which are in the hands of private ownership. 



An average of ninety-two per cent, of all these farms is improved, 

 leaving less than ninety-one acres of forest land to each farm. 



The economic conditions confronting the owners; the high price of 

 farm products and nearness to the markets which make farm land worth 

 more than forest land ; and the ignorance of the owner of forest manage- 

 ment, combine to cause the neglect of the practice of forestry in Indiana. 



I have interviewed many land owners and all agree that something 

 should be done to provide a future supply of timber for Indiana. They 

 claim that they cannot afford to practice forestry on their small hold- 

 ings under the present economic conditions, and that the State should 

 own the forest land. 



Since the condition of the public mind is in favor of State owned forests, 

 I would recommend that the State at once purchase a sufficient area to 

 provide for the future supply of timber, and that the same be paid for by 

 a bond issue to mature in from fifty to one hundred years. (Applause) 



Some announcements were made by the Secretary. 



ADJOURNMENT. 



WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The meeting was called to order at 2 :00 p. m., with Dr. F. W. Shepard- 

 son presiding. 



THE CHAIRMAN: The convention will please come to order. The 

 gentleman who presided this morning has been obliged to fill another 

 engagement and the committee in charge has asked me to assume the chair 

 this afternoon. I am going to ask Mr. Sauers to read us a letter that he 

 received from Mr. B. A. Johnson. 



MR. CHARLES G. SAUERS: (Reading letter) 



"When Charles G. Sauers, writing for Richard Lieber, Director of 

 Conservation of the State of Indiana, addressed me a letter on September 

 28th, he expressed himself in the last paragraph of his communication in 

 a heartfelt and direct manner which has led me to believe that he meant 

 it, and which furnished me a text for the shortest possible communication 

 that I can write you on this subject. 



"Mr. Sauers said: 'Will you address this conference upon the subject 

 of Co-operation Between the Lumberman and the Forester?' We realize 

 that it is possibly a rather delicate subject but know that you have the 

 situation well in mind and believe that you can handle it to the best 

 advantage. Will you make this address and will you also arrange your 

 plans to be at the conference throughout the two days? Questions will 

 be constantly coming up which you will be best able to answer and your 

 presence will be of great aid. We cannot take no for an answer because 

 you are needed.' 



