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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



ciation. Be this as it may, it is a significant and en- 

 couraging fact that for the first time a national asso- 

 ciation of forest owners and timber producers has defi- 

 nitely committed itself to the principle that both national 

 and industrial welfare demand the early development of 

 an American forest policy which shall substitute for in- 

 difference and accident a comprehensive program for the 

 perpetuation of our forest supplies. 



Much yet remains to be done in translating the prin- 

 ciples advanced by the Association into a concrete pro- 

 gram for Federal and State action. In passing, it may be 

 remarked that in the development of such a program 

 much more emphasis will have to be laid on measures 

 to keep forest lands productive and to provide for the 

 utilization of existing forests in such a way as to secure 



nature] reproduction without the necessity of resorting 

 to planting. Fire protection, both of mature and young 

 forests, is obviously essential, but it must be supple- 

 mented by the proper silvicultural handling of the pres- 

 ent forests if their perpetuation is to be effected economi- 

 cally. In general there is a tendency not to lay too much 

 stress on the measures necessary to restore defon 

 lands to production, but rather to lay too little stress on 

 the measures necessary to prevent deforestation. 



Now that the lumbermen have definitely committed 

 themselves to the support of a national forest policy, it is 

 to be hoped that more rapid progress can be made in 

 working out the details of such a policy, particularly 

 with respect to the knotty problem as to the relative 

 jurisdiction of Federal and State authorities. 



FOREST PRODUCTS RESEARCH TO THE FORE 



THE decennial celebration of the United States For- 

 est Products Laboratory at Madison, Wisconsin, on 

 July 22-23, was an event that is unique in the history 

 of Government institutions. The celebration was 

 planned, arranged for, and financed by friends of the 

 Laboratory as a mark of appreciation of its ten years 

 of service in industrial research. So far as our knowl- 

 edge goes, no other Government institution has ever 

 been similarly honored. The event was decidedly na- 

 tional in character, the nearly 300 visitors who partici- 

 pated in it coming from all over the country and even 

 from Canada and Porto Rico. No stronger testimonial 

 could be offered of the regard in which the Laboratory 

 is held by those who have benefited from its activities. 

 The celebration was much more, however, than an 

 exchange of congratulations on results already accom- 

 plished. To a much larger extent, emphasis was laid 

 upon the steadily increasing need for further research 

 regarding the properties and uses of wood and other 

 forest products and .the opportunities that lie ahead of 

 the Laboratory in its particular field of industrial re- 

 search. It is safe to say that those attending the cele- 

 bration came away with a more vivid idea than ever 

 before of the value of the scientific research in forest 



products by an organized force of trained investigators, 

 and that the members of the Laboratory in turn re- 

 ceived a broader view of their work and an inspiration 

 of service to be rendered which will help them to greater 

 achievements in the next io years than in the past. 



The completion of the first decade of industrial re- 

 search in forest products in this country should serve 

 to emphasize the importance of this phase of forest ac- 

 tivities in the development of a national forest policy. 

 Too often in our discussion of the need for reforestation 

 is the fact overlooked that the economical use of forest 

 products is fully as important as their production. Mak- 

 ing the same amount of wood go twice as far as before 

 is as effective a means of conservation as producing 

 twice as much material per acre as before. It is hoped 

 that the recent celebration of the Forest Products Labor- 

 atory, by emphasizing this fact, will lead to a material 

 expansion of our present program of research in forest 

 products, not merely as a commercial venture which will 

 enable the timberland owner, the lumberman, or the 

 manufacturer to squeeze a few dollars more out of hi: 

 product, but as an integral part of the movement for the 

 protection and perpetuation of our forest resources. 



WOOD-USERS ORGANIZE TO SAFEGUARD THEIR SUPPLY OF RAW MATERIAL 



/~\\' July 23, the wood-using industries of the country 

 ^-' took action fully as significant as that taken by the 

 National Lumber Manufacturers Association earlier in 

 the month. For the first time in their history representa- 

 tives of some 21 wood-using industries got together to 

 discuss the future supply of the raw material on which 

 their industries are dependent. As a result of this con- 

 ference, which was called by a voluntary committee from 

 the industries, a resolution was unanimously adopted 

 authorizing the chairman to appoint a committee to 

 formulate a definite plan for the organization of a 

 committee representing all the associations of wood- 

 users for the purpose of considering present or proposed 

 legislation dealing with reforestation and for formulating 

 a program of Federal and State legislation which will 



represent the views and interests of the wood-using ii 

 dustries. 



It is a highly significant fact that the depletion of 

 the timber supply of the country has now reached a 

 point where the industries dependent upon it feel them- 

 selves forced to organize for the purpose of taking 

 action to safeguard their future supplies. Nothing could 

 indicate more clearly the extent to which our "inex- 

 haustible" forest resources have been dissipated and the 

 need for prompt action if this country is to continue to 

 supply its own needs for wood and other forest products. 

 That the seriousness of the present situation is fully real- 

 ized by the wood-users is indicated by the remarkable 

 unanimity of sentiment which prevailed at the con- 

 ference. The shortage of many woods needed by the 



