458 



It is very obvious from this resume of conditions that unless the own- 

 ers of existing wood lots attack the problem in an intelligent way the time 

 is not far removed when practically all of the material used in our wood 

 manufacturing plants will have to be shipped in from other states. 



The conclusion to be drawn from the statements in the above para- 

 graphs are all but obvious. Practically all of our forests are in private 

 hands and it is very evident that the timber problem in Indiana is to be 

 solved by private forestry. The obstacles to private forestry are summar- 

 ized by Treadwell Cleveland. Jr.. 3 as tire risk, ill-devised taxation and 

 cheap stumpage. The first two of these he suggests are "artificial obsta- 

 cles" which may be removed by suitable state legislation. Concerning the 

 third. Mr. Cleveland says : "Cheap stumpage is the chief material obsta- 

 cle to the wide extension of private forestry. Forestry involves an in- 

 vestment in growing timber. If the investment is to show a satisfactory 

 profit, the product must not sell too cheap. As long as the product sells 

 cheap, expenditures will not be made to produce it, and the lumberman 

 will continue to be the nomad and the speculator which past conditions 

 have inevitably made him. In order to hold out inducements, to private 

 enterprise, forestry must offer a reasonable margin of profit above the 

 cost of growing the timber. 



'This obstacle to forestry is being steadily removed by the depletion 

 of the virgin forests and the consequent rise in stumpage prices. Already 

 the scarcity of supplies has resulted in a number of cases in the holding 

 of tracts for more than a single crop." 



It is evident that if the timber supply of the state be maintained there 

 must be cooperation between the state and private owners. Just what 

 form state laws for the encouragement of forestry should take is not 

 perfectly clear. It is evident, however, that legislation should develop out 

 of state conditions and until the resources of cooperation have been ex- 

 hausted, definite legislation should not be enacted. An examination of 

 State laws encouraging forestry shows that they may be grouped under 

 two general heads. First, those which seek to stimulate tree planting by 

 bounties or tax exemptions ; second, those establishing Forest Commis- 

 sions and, in late years, State Foresters charged with duties suggested by 

 the conditions in the state creating these offices. The laws under the first 

 group have been, almost without exception, ineffective and in very many 



Status of Forestry in the United States. Forest Service Circular 167, pp. 23-24. 



