American Fore:st Congress 121 



lumber manufacturer is disposed to show the Govern- 

 ment that he will be satisfied (if the Government will 

 hold and care for the forests) with buying from the 

 Government the surplus timber. 



I could paint a glowing picture of the great interest 

 that has been aroused in forestry, augmented by the 

 individual work and advice of the Bureau of Forestry 

 and its able and efficient head, Gifford Pinchot ; but I 

 surmise that you want a true picture of actual opera- 

 tions and to know to what extent they conform to 

 accepted forestry practice. I wish I were able to 

 report that 90 per cent of the lumbermen of the country 

 cut their timber in accordance with rules supplied by 

 Mr. Pinchot and his assistants. It would be gratifying 

 to me to say that 75 per cent did this ; that 50 per cent 

 did! that 25 per cent did. Throughout the country 

 from the Atlantic to the Pacific from the Lakes to the 

 Gulf, I find but a few isolated cases, and most of these 

 of comparatively recent origin. Why? Because here- 

 tofore it has not been practicable. While this is true 

 to-day a far dififerent story can and doubtless will be 

 told five or ten years hence. It is not so important 

 that two or three lumbermen have been induced to 

 make a start as that all are being educated and pre- 

 pared for a general movement in this direction in the 

 fullness of time. During the last few years the Bureau 

 of Forestry has received requests from several lumber 

 concerns for plans for cutting their timber so as to 

 insure a future supply. These plans, except as above 

 stated, have not yet been put into operation, because 

 conditions have not been such as to warrant it. But 

 the opening has been made. Lumbermen realize that 

 not only is it possible to carry on their work in this 

 manner but circumstances are so adjusting themselves 

 that it is imperative that it shall so be done. 

 The lumbermen of the country have keen interest 



