9(5 



It is improbable that the state officials ever would have repaired to the 

 Bryan farm to pray, if the donor had not mentioned this stipulation, but 

 as it is, there has been a good deal of opposition expressed by religious 

 organizations against the state accepting the farm under this condition. 



Now, in a case of that kind, if the opposition should definitely block 

 acceptance of the gift, steps should be taken to have some semi-public 

 organization or organizations ready to step in and keep the timber pre- 

 serve from being lost to posterity, as it assuredly will be if it is sold for 

 private exploitation. 



It has seemed to me that for the greater part of this territory the prob- 

 lem of timber conservation is chiefly one of intelligent maintenance of the 

 farmers' wood lot. 



Most of the young growth on these wood lots is sacrificed for fence 

 posts and similar uses on the farm. The lot is then closely pastured so 

 that the seedlings have no chance. The wood lot soon becomes a grove 

 of matured trees, and it is ultimately skinned off entirely. This practice 

 can be combated by the right kind of educational propaganda, and organ- 

 izations such as the one I represent should be encouraged to make it their 

 duty to spread the propaganda. The State Bureaus can accomplish much, 

 I am sure, by encouraging the State, District and Local Lumber association 

 to assume repsonsibility as custodians for timber areas, trustees for the 

 permanent protection of sylviculture in their respective communities. 

 (Applause) 



THE CHAIRMAN : We will next hear from Mr. Harry Scearce, who is 

 a member of the Indiana Retail Lumber Dealers' Association. (Applause) 

 MR. HARRY SCEARCE: In a study of the lumber industry covering 

 the distribution of softwood lumber in the middle west, made by the Forest 

 Service, it was learned that over ninety-five per cent, of the lumber sold 

 in this territory is distributed through the retail yards. 



In 1914 eleven of the central states had eleven hundred yards, eighty- 

 one per cent, being in towns of two thousand five hundred and less, and sold 

 over seven billion feet of lumber, this being an average per capita consump- 

 tion of approximately three hundred feet. 



To illustrate what this means: Indianapolis has a population of three 

 hundred thousand in round numbers, applying the average annual consump- 

 tion of three hundred feet, means that it requires ninety million feet of 

 lumber, or thirty-six hundred carloads of twenty-five thousand feet, to 

 supply the demand in this city from the retail yards. 



To move all of this at one time, would require thirty-six thousand three 

 ton trucks, hauling twenty-five hundred feet each and forming a proces- 

 sion in close formation two hundred miles in length. Applying this to the 

 entire country, in which it is estimated there are forty-two thousand retail 

 lumber yards and you have some idea of the importance in the industry of 

 the retail branch. 



The investigation of the lumber industry by the Forest Service, at the 

 request of the Federal Trade Commission, has cleared away many erron- 

 eous impressions held by the public, especially in reference to the retail 

 part of it. 



