INTRODUCTION 25 



owners who are planning a heritage for their children and 

 grandchildren, or of corporations organized on such a 

 permanent basis that they can look far into the future. 



Already in the best settled portions of the country 

 land well stocked with young growth brings a higher 

 price than denuded land. Even the land speculator who 

 has no interest in permanent forestry may well take this 

 into account. Reproduction can be secured naturally in 

 most cases where a second cut is contemplated. If there 

 is enough rapid-growing timber of medium size to make 

 holding it for a second cut good business, natural repro- 

 duction can be secured from the reserved trees, provided 

 fires are controlled. The holding of immature timber 

 necessitates a certain amount of protection, which, with 

 comparatively little additional outlay, will suffice to 

 secure reproduction sufficient to maintain the required 

 minimum of production. 



Progress of Private Forestry. — In progressive States 

 which have inaugurated a system of fire protection, the 

 hazard from forest fires is already under way to be re- 

 duced to a minimum, making it worth while for foi- 

 est owners to look beyond the cutting of trees now 

 half-grown, and to replace the old stands by natural re- 

 production or planting. Farmers are beginning to prac- 

 tise forestry in order to produce wood and timber for 

 their own use and for sale, and also in order to increase 

 the sale value of their property. Large private owners 

 are now considering this question from the standpoints 

 of the actual returns from the increased value of the 



