2 3 8 



THE FORESTER. 



October, 



One tree was five inches in diameter and 

 24 feet high. The roots occupied a solid 

 mass of 7 feet in diameter. One root ex- 

 tended 15 feet from the tree; two I traced 

 10 feet; and three others, 8 feet from the 

 trunk. The surrounding trees were only 

 2 to 2^ inches in diameter, while the en- 

 tire root system was confined to a space 

 the size of a bushel basket. 



In this case the one stronger tree had 

 overcome all others, but this was an ex- 

 ception, since in the general plantation the 

 trees were all very small ; all starved at 

 the early age of four years. I cannot put 

 this too strongly when thousands are 

 watching the results of these early plant- 

 ings, to decide whether or not tree plant- 

 ing is profitable. The Yaggy plantation 

 at Hutchinson, Kansas, 500 acres in Ca- 

 talpa and 800 acres in Apple, the forest 



planted in 7-foot rows, 4 feet in the row, 

 to be gradually thinned, is from the start a 

 profitable investment. This winter, the 

 eighth year, the trees will be thinned to 

 7x8 feet and later to a permanent stand 

 i4x 16 feet. Three thousand dollars' worth 

 of posts were sold last winter, and ten 

 thousand dollars' worth are now ready for 

 the market from the thinnings. 



Actual measurement of more than five 

 thousand trees, in all parts of Amer- 

 ica, prove conclusively that forest planting 

 is a profitable investment, if systematically 

 managed, whether by individuals or cor- 

 porations. One thing is an assured fact, 

 native forests are not increasing one-tenth 

 as fast as they are being denuded. It is 

 full time that Government, States and cor- 

 porations should be moving in the matter 

 of a future supply of timber." 



FOREST LAW IN THE UNITED STATES. * 



BY TREADWELL CLEVELAND, JR. 



X. DISTINCT SUCCESSES. 



It may be of some service to the general 

 reader if we note particularly some of the 

 more conspicuously successful efforts in 

 forest legislation. 



First in national importance among the 

 successful measures comes the law on 



diich the Federal Reserve policy rests. 

 By the reservation of approximately forty- 

 ;even million acres of public forest lands 

 the United States has pointed the way for 

 an exemplary system of forest protection 

 and management. Already there are laws 

 enough on the statute books to provide for 



i full and efficient Federal Forest Service. 



The question is simply whether a true ap- 

 preciation of the reserves on the one hand, 

 and on the other of the laws by which they 

 l>e regulated, can be aroused and 

 maintained in full effect among the people 

 of the various districts of the country. 



* For Mr. Cleveland's first, second and third 

 cles on this subject, see the FORESTER 

 from July to September. 



Recent official intelligence confirms a 

 statement made in the first paper of this 

 series regarding the general sentiment to- 

 ward the reserves. Everywhere a marked 

 change of front is visible; the people may 

 be said to be demanding the continuance 

 and extension of the reserve policy. 



Among the States, New York, Penn- 

 sylvania, Massachusetts, Minnesota and 

 some others, in a less degree, have carried 

 forest legislation to an excellent issue. 

 This is not to say by any means that these 

 or any other States have fully covered the 

 ground in law, but merely that with their 

 protective laws, and their administrative 

 provisions, these States have taken steps 

 which mark historic advance. 



XI. DOUBTFUL ISSUES. 



Yet a great deal still remains to be done 

 in the way of exact local provisions as 

 well as in efficient and conscientious forest 

 administration. The lieu-land law which 

 permits bona Jjde settlers within the pro- 



