REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 45 



the Northern half of the State are unsuitable for 

 the growing of crops. If there are, as is said, 

 13,000,000 acres in the Northern part of the State 

 still undeveloped, and twenty-five per cent .of it 

 is non-agricultural, then we have three and one 

 quarter millions of acres upon part of which, at 

 least, the State can conduct this work. 



Large areas are covered with swamp, some of 

 which cannot even be used for tree planting, while 

 others naturally reproduce themselves with such 

 species as tamarack and spruce. Certainly so large 

 an area as this should satisfy the most ardent ad- 

 vocate of silva-culture, yet it shows that a few 

 hundred thousands of acres devoted thereto will 

 create no dearth of lands left to farm. 



Why anyone should feel that the statement that 

 twenty-five per cent of the lands of any section of 

 the State are non-profitable for agriculture is detri- 

 mental to its best interests is inconceivable. We have 

 but to turn to Germany with her 208,000 square 

 miles to find that 54,000, an amount equal to al- 

 most the total area of the State of Wisconsin, is 

 in forests. Certainly in a country which has been 

 developed to almost the last degree, the fact that 

 one-fourth of its area is in forests does not detract 

 from its standing as a nation and an example to 

 others in intense development. 



There are thousands of acres of land in Northern 

 Wisconsin which, on account of the poor character 

 of the soil and its rough nature, will not be used 

 for farming either in this generation or several to 

 come. This can be said without detracting from the 

 agricultural possibilities of the section in which 

 they are located. 



There is no section in the State where an attempt 

 at reforestation can show as rapid results and quick 

 illustration of its possibilities as the beautiful lake 

 region of Northeastern Wisconsin. Most of the soil 

 is of a light sandy nature. On this a rapid natural 

 reproduction may be expected. There are now large 

 areas where beautiful young growths of white and 



