TOWN FORESTS 143 



in excess of its original value — and the return is 

 sure. 



There is a final feature of the town forest move- 

 ment which in itself goes far to justify the plan. 

 The Black Forest of Germany, the Vosges district 

 of France and parts of Switzerland, are the great 

 communal forest regions of the world. Although 

 these are manufacturing sections subject to all the 

 ups and down of industry, the town forests so 

 effectively absorb the surplus labor that unemploy- 

 ment is practically unknown. When industrial con- 

 ditions are poor planting and thinning are pushed, 

 and roads to increase the accessibility of certain 

 wooded sections are built. When labor is scarce 

 the forest can wait. Here in America periodical 

 epidemics of unemployment form one of our most 

 serious national problems. Could we not also find 

 a remedy in the town forest plan? 



