186 ELEMENTARY FORESTRY. 



measure, or a mean annual increase of 185 feet board measure 

 per acre. If this were true, it would leave a wide margin to our 

 present annual timber cut without impairing our normal growing 

 stock. In other words, this great lumber industry, of so much 

 value to the state, would be continued indefinitely under normal 

 conditions. But there is practically no timber land in this state 

 under normal conditions, and there is little or no increase on the 

 far greater part of our cut-over timber lands. On this account 

 the continuance of our lumber industry is not hoped for by those 

 engaged in it. In other words, we are working our timber 

 resources as though they were a mine which can never be 

 restocked. 



The timber lands of all civilized countries have passed through 

 about the same wasteful conditions as those which now prevail 

 here. While this does not justify the present deplorable situation 

 here, it shows us that the trouble we are suffering from is a com- 

 mon one, that will right itself with increased population and 

 proper education. Previous to 1700 the forests of Germany were 

 in much the same condition as those here at present, and a 

 square mile of forest land could be bought for the present price 

 of one of the oaks planted at that time. Our people are simply 

 uninformed as to the possibilities of our forest land under proper 

 conditions. 



Any Other Business, Forestry Requires Capital. 



This is partly in land and partly in the growing crops of wood. 

 Capital in wood may often exceed that in land. Income from 

 forests comes as timber, fuel, bark, and in items of smaller impor- 

 tance, such as grazing, fruit, medicinal plants, hunting, etc. 



Forests Should be so Managed as to yield an annual 

 increase, as in this way the conditions for most successful market- 

 ing are best met. Under such conditions, too, a certain amount 

 of experienced help can be expected to become located conveni- 

 ently near, as they will have steady work, while if the products 

 are harvested at irregular intervals new help must be engaged at 

 each harvest, which is extremely undesirable. 



In Considering the Returns from the Forest the fol- 

 lowing terms should be clearly understood: (i) Normal grow- 

 ing stock, (2) normal income, (3) capital stock, and (4) actual 

 income. These are defined in the following paragraphs: 



