STORY OF OUR NATIONAL FOREST 151 



Forests, game conservation is one of its most diffi- 

 cult, variable and scientific problems. 



In conclusion, let us emphasize the one all-im- 

 portant outstanding fact that, upon the health and 

 scientific administration of our National Forests and 

 the skill and success with which they grow new crops 

 of trees, depends one of our principal sources of na- 

 tional development and prosperity. 



Let us face the fact squarely that, if we are 

 somehow to escape the imminent calamity of lumber 

 exhaustion, the Forest Service must become essen- 

 tially a Farm Bureau. Reforestation is looming as 

 its chief function. Its most important future ser- 

 vice, by far, is to raise immense crops of new trees, 

 and to promote and supervise the raising of other 

 immense crops of new trees on state and private 

 lands. The Chief Forester, if he accomplishes his 

 highest public duty, must become forthwith the na- 

 tion's Chief Farmer. 



The success of this programme will depend ul- 

 timately upon stanch and active public support, 

 which means the outspoken and continued advocacy 

 of every citizen in the locality in which he lives. It 

 means, also, his earnest and continued support of the 

 bureau whose continued efficiency is the sole agency 

 by which lumber exhaustion may be averted. It 

 means his personal defense of the forests and the 

 Forest Service against commercial grazers who will 

 earnestly seek for years to come to subordinate the 



