10 



Value of Planting. 



In the destruction of forests by axe and fire which has been 

 taking place in this country ever since settlement began, vast areas 

 not adapted to agricultural purposes have been cleared, placed in 

 farms, tilled for a time, the soil exhausted and then abandoned. 

 These areas are of varying size, but in the aggregate are extensive. 

 In some places they include a few acres of an occupied farm; at 

 others they embrace entire abandoned farms. This land is lying 

 idle, is not producing any revenue for its owner; in fact, is held 

 at a loss because taxes must be paid, and the interest on the capi- 

 .tal invested is lost. A large area of such idle land in any state is 

 just as serious an economic proposition as idle labor, because both 

 are non-productive. 



Such land should be planted with small trees in order to grow 

 forest crops and reap a future profit. The resulting forests will 

 also make the country more beautiful, more habitable, more healthful 

 and more enjoyable. These forests will protect the hillsides from 

 erosion, prevent the floods which carry down debris and devastate 

 the low lands, and will make the water in the streams more equable 

 in its flow. These streams rendered cooler by the shade will sup- 

 port more fish, and the forest cover will also afford a shelter for 

 birds and game. We can secure all these benefits, and at the same 

 time realize a large profit from these idle lands if they are placed 

 under wood crops. 



Natural-grown forests are not the most valuable, because nature 

 does not utilize the light and moisture to the best advantage; but 

 by properly spacing the trees, as done in an artificial forest, more 

 and better trees can be grown in a shorter period. 



We have not many planted forests in this country old enough 

 to give complete information of what can be expected from them. 

 Therefore, we have to use natural growth in determining the yields 

 from prospective wood crops. The quantity produced will, on the 

 average, be less than what would be obtained from planted forests; 

 therefore, these figures are conservative. 



