450 



furnish not only the hope hut the assurance of the future, if. and only if. 

 they are intelligently managed. All of the timber lands in the state, with 

 the exception of the State Forest Reservation, is held by private owners. 

 As a rule these holdings are relatively small and our forests may be con- 

 sidered as made up of a large number of wood lots. It is a fact that can- 

 not be too often repeated or over emphasized, that it is a much more cer- 

 tain and a much cheaper process to maintain and improve an existing 

 stand of timber than to produce a new one by planting. Not only is it 

 much surer and cheaper, but it is also much more rapid. 



The problem of the future of the forests of Indiana is merely the 

 problem of securing the proper handling and care of the wood lots and 

 small timbered areas held by individual owners. If such areas are wisely 

 handled and conservatively lumbered there is no reason why they should 

 not for years yield a steady and increasing income and at the same time 

 show a marked increase in quality and value. In other words the problem 

 of the future timber supply iu the state is very largely a problem of edu- 

 cation. Owners of timbered tracts must be brought to a realization of the 

 value of such holdings and trained in "methods of management which will 

 secure the results indicated. It must be shown also that such methods of 

 management are profitable, for unless this can be done no method, how- 

 ever theoretically desirable it may be shown to he. will ever come into 

 general use. The real peril lies in the fact that this process of education 

 is a very slow one and that existing timber areas may be greatly reduced 

 in value or completely destroyed before a knowledge of the better methods 

 has become common property. An examination of a number of such tracts 

 covering many counties of the state indicates fairly well what may be con- 

 sidered the average condition of the forests of Indiana today. 



Almost without exception these timbered areas are used as pasture 

 land, and have, in most instances, been so heavily overpastured as to prac- 

 tically destroy all prospects of the regeneration of the forest after the re- 

 moval of the present trees. An examination of seventeen such wood lot 

 pasture tracts during the past season which were distributed through 

 twelve counties of the state, revealed the fact that in not a single one 

 could any young seedlings or healthy, well formed saplings be found. Any 

 system of management under such conditions is perfectly useless. Unless 

 the condition of the wood lot areas is improved and the regeneration of 

 the forests provided for by an abundant and vigorous growth of seedlings, 

 the end of our forests is not far distant. 



