204 REPORT Olf THE FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



DISCUSSION UPON THE REPOET OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON FOREST 



INVESTIGATION 



The Chairman: We have heard a very interesting paper and presentation 

 of a point of view which I beHeve a great many people in this country have not 

 had before. Is there any discussion on this paper? 



Mr. Alfred Gaskill, of New Jersey : I coniess I cannot find myself in entire 

 agreement with Mr. Zon's position, but I want to say right here that there is a 

 tremendous lot of food for thought in it. If Mr. Zon is right, of course the 

 theory must fit a good mafiy other conditions and that of the interior of this 

 single continent. Perhaps Mr. Zon will be good enough to carry his studies and 

 investigations a little further so that we may see how the application of the theory 

 to other conditions works out. I can see, too, that some of our good friends who 

 have found all sort of comfort in the fixed belief that the presence of forests 

 causes continued rainfall, will be apt to quarrel with the argument. However, 

 I am really not prepared to discuss this question on its merits. I do want, how- 

 ever, to invite the attention of some of the others to this one feature of the broad 

 feature of the questions connected with the problem that we are trying to solve 

 in this country of forests, that is, where forests must be maintained, where they 

 should be maintained and where they may be maintained, because, after all, that 

 is one of the things that we have got to consider. I firmly believe that most of us 

 have turned to the side. This whole section around us has been converted from 

 a primeval forest into something else, and the process is still going on. We are 

 inclined to think that the Lake States are naturally pine forests, and there are lots 

 of people up there who will tell you it is not so. However, I have no further 

 suggestions to offer tonight." 



Dr. J. T. Rothrock, of Pennsylvania, also discussed the report. 



