AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 203 



think that some restriction or some kind of embargo 

 thrown around this rough, unfinished product going 

 abroad would be of some value in the way of preserv- 

 ing the forests as well as assisting the cooperage 

 manufacturers of to-day in the pursuit of their lawful 

 business. 



"Reforestation will have to be conducted under the 

 supervision and at the expense of the general govern- 

 ment, if done to any valuable extent. Any other 

 scheme will fall short of its mark, and in my opinion 

 the best way to get at that would be for the Bureau of 

 Forestry to secure tracts of land known to be suitable 

 for the growing of oak timber and no other hardwoods. 

 Buy or secure tracts of reasonable size, go over and 

 replant a considerable area, under the charge of an 

 expert forester. This would be somewhat of a kinder- 

 garten, and would encourage the planting and culture 

 of timber by individuals, and improving lands that 

 had already been cut over and otherwise practically 

 valueless. The remission of taxes by the states and 

 the bonuses by the Government in view of planting and 

 cultivating trees in certain countries, would materially 

 assist in the reforestation of tracts that would otherwise 

 be long left barren. It is a fact that the best oak lands 

 are being rapidly put into cultivation for corn, cotton, 

 and other products of that nature, and the uplands of 

 hill lands, formerly so productive, have been turned 

 into valuable farms, and are consequently of more 

 value to the owner than the timber proposition. 



"As a rule, the stave manufacturers of the country 

 have not been buyers of timber until recent years, 

 except as stumpage, and consequently they have had 

 no interest in the preservation of the forests and want 

 to get only what is suitable for their purpose. 



"As there is only a comparatively small territory in 



