INTRODUCTION 17 



other sources. Public interest demands the protection of 

 these forests, and this itself is an ample return on the 

 investment necessary in forestry. 



Some public forests serve as great recreation and 

 health resorts. Thus the State forests in the Adirondack 

 Mountains of New York are held primarily for these 

 purposes, as well as for their value in protecting the 

 headwaters of rivers. The constitution of the State pre- 

 vents any cutting of timber whatever, and hence there 

 are no returns in money at all. The public desires the 

 forest to remain, at least at present, untouched. Large 

 sums are spent each year for administration, protection, 

 and improvement, and the indirect value to the public is 

 regarded as a satisfactory return. In this particular case 

 it would be possible to make the forests more than self- 

 supporting by judicious cuttings, and at the same time 

 meet all the protective and esthetic purposes of manage- 

 ment. Without doubt, such a policy of treatment will be 

 introduced on these forests in a few years. 



One of the greatest purposes of public forests is the 

 continuous production of wood and timber for use. The 

 object of management is not only the production of as 

 large a quantity as possible, but also of the grades needed 

 by the people dependent on the forests for their supplies. 

 Oftentimes the public owner will aim to produce in its 

 forests trees of large size and high quality, in order to 

 secure grades of timber which private forests are not likely 

 in the future to yield. The best grades of lumber can be 

 obtained only from very old trees. Most private owners 



