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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



and more grounded on the results of the agricultural 

 experiment stations. The Federal Forest Service should 

 be provided with funds sufficient to establish and main- 

 tain such stations independently or in co-operation with 

 States or other agencies. The present appropriation of 

 the Forest Service for purely forest investigations is 

 ridiculously small ; it barely amounts to 1-100 of 1 per 

 cent of the capital represented by the timber alone on 

 the National Forests of the West and only 2 per cent of 

 the present income from those forests. Uncle Sam, one 

 of the greatest timber owners in this country, in his 

 expenditures for forest research is far behind many in- 

 dustries in this country and the governments of marly 

 European countries. The size of the present appropria- 

 tion is still more ridiculous when, in addition, Uncle 

 Sam's duty to furnish private owners with the informa- 

 tion they need to grow timber is considered. This duty 

 should be as fully recognized in forestry as in agri- 

 culture. 



As the original and present source of a large part of 

 the nation's well-being, the forests of America must be 

 sustained, to the end that our descendents shall have and 

 enjoy lumber, paper and water as we have had and now 

 enjoy them; that the pleasures and inspiration of the 

 forest shall not be lost to the people; that no part of 

 our land be given over to waste, but all made productive 

 according to its quality. 



That there can be no forests, and no forestry, where 

 fires are allowed is self-evident. That every community 

 and every interest must maintain a forest fire service 

 is not generally recognized. The nation, the states and 

 every private interest must unite to provide the money 

 and the leadership that are required to make the effort 

 effective. To hold a forest, mature or immature, for 

 future revenue or enjoyment is a speculation, not an 

 investment, unless fire control is established. 



Forestry, its aims and agencies fire control, silvicul- 

 ture, state economy, are still little understood. Habits 

 of neglect and wastefulness attach to our woodlands and 

 are deep-rooted. An active, prolonged campaign of edu- 

 cation, in which the nation and the states shall co-operate, 

 is imperative. 



As four-fifths of our woodlands belong to private 

 owners who rarely are willing to incur the risk, or to 

 make the investment necessary to provide future timber, 

 it is advisable that the nation, the states and many 

 municipalities acquire public forests. But since this is 

 not generally practicable, or can be undertaken in only a 

 limited way, means must be found to induce owners to 



practice such controls as will insure the continued pro- 

 ductiveness of their forests. A wise plan would offer the 

 owners of true forest land an alternative of maintaining 

 it on a productive basis or selling it to the public. Usually 

 adequate protection against fire would be sufficient in- 

 ducement. 



There is little foundation for the many claims that 

 our forests are over-taxed. Their increasing value does 

 induce higher assessments, and higher assessments often 

 leads to realizing fellings ; yet real evil lies in the un- 

 certainty as to when the upward movement will stop, 

 and in the inequities that frequently are created. Though 

 forestry considers the public interest before that of in- 

 dividuals, it seeks no favors at the expense of any other 

 class of property. It asks only that the tax burden be 

 adjusted to the long periods required to produce timber 

 trees. This means that a part, at least, of the annual 

 levy should not be collectible until the trees are market- 

 able, and that such deferred tax be predetermined. No 

 one can be expected to invest money in growing trees 

 unless he can calculate, and discount if necessary, his 

 future obligations. 



Upon forest lands that have been devastated usually 

 by fire, a new forest can be established by planting. In 

 such cases the work should begin as soon as fire control 

 is assured and be carried forward systematically. Yet 

 these conditions are relatively rare. If logging is done 

 with reasonable care and fire kept out afterwards, nature 

 will establish new forests which can be improved by a 

 forester's skill. Be it remembered that nature is a ready, 

 if not very skilful forester; that many million trees, 

 much less a tree, or a few trees, planted here and there 

 will not renew, or replace, the forests that we destroy; 

 that if we stand for planting at least ten young trees must 

 be started for every mature tree that is felled for lum- 

 ber. Planting at high cost cannot be avoided in some 

 localities ; the effort everywhere must be to secure natural 

 rather than artificial forest renewal. Again fire control 

 will go far. 



Mountainous and very rocky land is clearly indicated 

 as fit only for forestry. Every other kind wet, dry, 

 sandy or alkaline, may be agricultural, or pastoral, or 

 forest under present, or reasonably anticipated future 

 conditions. Lack of information regarding soil values 

 has given opportunity to land sharks and prevented for- 

 est renewal on land that has no possible agricultural 

 future. The soil surveys made by the Federal Govern- 

 ment in co-operation with a number of states should be 

 extended so that there may be definite knowledge of 

 what should be permanent forest land and what is fit 

 for conversion to other uses. 





