312 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



forest growth. The South is endowed 

 with species which grow with great 

 rapidity. Conditions of climate are such 

 that natural reproduction occurs with 

 tremendous vigor if only given a 

 chance. There is no region except the 

 far Northwest where forestry is so sim- 

 ple and the results so sure. Actual es- 

 timates show that it is entirely practical 

 to secure from the area which should 

 be permanently in forest fully 24 billion 

 feet in the long run, by growth, if the 

 forest is properly handled. Much of 

 this area is in the mountains and the 

 very management for timber produc- 

 tion will secure the indirect benefits of 

 the forest. We must definitely answer 

 the question whether the South will 

 continue for all time to furnish the na- 

 tion with 20 to 30 billion feet of tim- 

 ber, with all that is meant by such a 

 continuous production of wealth, or 

 will give up this opportunity. I am 

 stating no new or unfamiliar facts. 

 Year after year we gather in different 

 conventions and restate this problem 

 and dwell on its importance. Year after 

 year the problem becomes a more criti- 

 cal one to the country. 



''To-day we come together again to 

 discuss it in the hope that we may ar- 

 rive at some definite program which 

 will lead to positive results. 



"No one appreciates better than I 

 the practical difficulties in the way of 

 bringing about the desired end. No 

 one appreciates better than I that it can 

 not be accomplished at once. I do main- 



tain that it can be accomplished to the 

 full extent of the results I have sug- 

 gested, and even more. Aly great ob- 

 ject is to see a beginning made which 

 will actually lead to the final goal. 



"The main difficulty has been that ef- 

 forts have been scattered and individ- 

 ual. We should appreciate that our ef- 

 forts must be organized and all agencies 

 which can contribute to the work must 

 be brought into effective cooperation. 



"The greatest obstacle in the way of 

 forestry is forest fires. This enemy can 

 never be mastered except by organized 

 effort. With the fires mastered the rest 

 is comparatively easy. We must there- 

 fore, with all our forces, national, State, 

 and private, endeavor to overcome the 

 fire menace. How this is to be accom- 

 plished will be brought out at this con- 

 vention. The public must aid in the 

 matter of a uniform, consistent, and 

 sane system of taxation which will en- 

 able the owners to foresee the changes 

 against their enterprise in the future. 

 Private owners must accept their re- 

 sponsibilities as trustees of a great nat- 

 ural resource and handle their property 

 in a way which will build up and not 

 injure the interests of the State. Just 

 what should be done and what can be 

 done in practice ? Where shall we be- 

 gin and what is the first step? This is 

 now before this conference to discuss, 

 and it is my confident hope that some 

 definite, clear-cut conclusions can be 

 reached. * * * * 



/;; a short time U\ X. Millar, superintendent of the Kaniksu National Forest of the 

 first district, ft 1 /// resign to become forest inspector of the Dominion Government forestry 

 branch 



\cprcsentative Warbnrion, of Washington, has introduced a bill for the sale of timber 

 Oitinaelit Indian Reservation, in IVashington, the proceeds to go toward the con- 

 of a road into and through a part of the reservation. 



i tie Senate has passed the bill already passed by the House, and fathered by Repre- 

 f ive Pary. of Montana, authorising the sale of burnt timber on public lands, under 

 nlations of the Interior Department. 



