put them out of the class which might practice forestry successfully. Un- 

 til these political questions are settled, therefore, it would probably be 

 unwise for the large corporation to engage in an enterprise involving a 

 continuous policy for so long a time as is required in forest production. 



Railroad corporations not being so subject to this destructive action 

 by government, because the problem of handling these natural monopolies 

 is largely settled, do not labor under this latter disadvantage, though 

 possessed of the other advantages of large corporations. They have also 

 at least three additional advantages which would make it profitable to 

 engage in forest production on lands already owned. The first is that 

 they are large consumers, and the cheapest possible supply of timber 

 is of enormous importance to their construction and maintenance depart- 

 ments. The second follows from this that since they are large consumers 

 practically all selling costs would be saved to their forestry departments. 

 The third reason lies in the fact that the railroad depends on adjacent 

 territory for tonnage. Land adapted only to forestry will yield little 

 tonnage any other way, but as already stated in the case of the munici- 

 pality, in this region such land will under forest management yield at 

 least 500 feet B. M. per annum on the average. This, then, means to 

 the railroad that every acre kept under management will some time yield 

 500 feet of lumber, or from 1,500 to 2,000 Ibs. of freight for each year 

 that the forest crop is maintained. If this lumber should be shipped to 

 the middle west it means a gross revenue to the railroad of perhaps $5.00 

 or more per acre per annum, for transportation only. 



The Small Owner The writer believes that the forester can seldom 

 advise the small owner, either corporate or individual, to practice forestry 

 except in the case of the farm woodlot owner. The farmer consumes 

 most of the product of his own forest, thus saving all selling costs, mid- 

 dleman's profits, and transportation to a distance. What he does not 

 consume goes to his neighbor. To this strong economic position as to 

 markets may be added several other advantages. Protection and admin- 

 istration costs nearly disappear because the farm woodlot is generally in 

 sight of the residence and fields, and is surrounded by clearings, hence 

 patrol is unnecessary and fires seldom will occur. Because of the small 

 cutting areas necessary in the farm woodlot, reproduction will in nearly 

 every case come naturally, without extra expense, providing grazing is 

 properly restricted. Finally, though the farmer pays high interest rates 

 when he borrows, he works principally on his own capital, on which he 

 makes a very low rate as a rule. Hence in most cases his forest invest- 

 ment really comes in the low interest rate class. 



These advantages place him in the best position of any private owner 

 and the large product of farm woodlots in this country as compared 

 with the National Forests indicate that their economic position is much 

 stronger than the latter. Cuttings can be carried on annually in the 

 farm woodlot in most cases, thus resulting in an annual income from it, 

 and also in the most complete utilization, because windfalls and trees 

 otherwise damaged can be utilized before they decay. Some of these 

 advantages will not be realizable until the pioneer stage is passed, but 

 this will undoubtedly pass with great rapidity in this state because of 

 the many natural advantages it possesses for the settler. 



In spite of the great possibilities of the farm woodlot, full produc- 



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