PINCHOT TO THE BOY SCOUTS 



eiFFORD PIXCHOT. Chief kind of tree grows; for example, that 



Scout Forester of the Boy it may grow fastest in height when it 



Scouts of America, has prepared is young, fastest in diameter when it 



for the Boy Scouts a statement show- is older, and that later on in life diame- 



ing how they may learn the age of a ter growth falls off and height growth 



tree ; how they may estimate the size is very, very slow. 



of the tree ten. twenty or thirty years "But even a stem analysis of one 



ago, and especially how to gain prac- tree teaches you a great deal. It tells 



tical and valuable information in their y OU< not only how old was the tree 



trips through the woods. when it reached the size at which it 



In this statement Pinchot appeals to was cut, but also how old the tree was 

 the Boy Scouts to co-operate with the at all sizes since it was a little seed- 

 foresters, saying that it is a duty which ling, for every tree has its own life 

 the boys owe to their country. "It is history written on its ring of growth, 

 as important." he writes, ''that you Suppose you have measured an oak 

 should study these things as that the and found it to be fourteen inches thick 

 foresters should do so. The foresters, and seventy years old. All you need to 

 being trained men, will know how to do to find out how thick that oak was 

 make the best practical use of what when it was, say, thirty years old. is to 

 they learn. But it is upon all of us that measure out from the center the dis- 

 the responsibility will fall of carrying tance covered by the first thirty rings, 

 out what the foresters recommend ; and multiply that distance by two and add 

 anything you can do to get an idea of an inch for the bark. That tells you 

 what forestry means in practice, is go- very closely how big the tree was forty 

 ing to help you to co-operate with the years ago, long before you were born, 

 foresters, that will help the woods, "\Yhile you are making the stem 

 and help your country. analysis, don't fail to study the woods 



"If you can get into the woods where in which the cutting is going on. How 

 cutting is going on, even if it is only do they look? Will they grow trees 

 of small stuff for firewood, I suggest again like those that have been cut or 

 that you do this : Count the rings of has the forest been destroyed by cut- 

 growth on the stump of a tree, first ting? Is the brush piled so that it can 

 making sure what kind of tree it is. be burned up, or are the big tops lopped 

 Count the rings from the center out- so that they will rot quickly, or is all 

 wards. Each ring means a year in the this trash strewn over the ground, 

 life of the tree, and the whole number where it would burn fiercely, and kill 

 of rings means the age of the tree, what trees are left standing? Have 

 Then measure the thickness of the tree too many trees been cut. so that in- 

 across the stump. If the tree has not stead of a forest there are only a few 

 yet been worked up into logs or into scattered, scrubby trees left, or are 

 firewood, you can easily measure its there enough to shed seed to plant the 

 height by running a tape line, or a land to forest again? Ha\e the trees 

 piece of string, from the butt of the been felled skillfully? Arc the stumps 

 first log to the top of the crown, add- cut close to the ground so as to waste 

 ing the height of the stump. If you no timber, or have they been cut high 

 make several of these 'stem analyses" up in lazy-man's fashion? Have the 

 on trees of different sizes and then logs all been taken out, or just the 

 compare the results, you will find out best ones, leaving a lot of wood lying 

 many interesting things about how that on the ground ?" 



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