FIITH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 351 



period would seem likely to begin in about thirty years and continue for two or 

 three decades. To overcut now the timber which can be held for this approaching 

 need, for the purpose of increasing production on the same area to be utilized at 

 a more distant time, is justified only under two conditions — if there is a large 

 second crop now growing that will ripen in time, or if there is a very marked 

 deficiency in the area that is being restocked today for the distant utilization 

 referred to. Do either of these conditions exist? Is there enough information 

 upon these points to determine a wise policy ? 



Concerning the last — the rotation of crop being started today — there is 

 little question. At no previous or following period in American forest history 

 for a long time to come is it at all probable that there will be an equal amount 

 of denuded forest land beginning to restock. The tremendous amount which 

 has been denuded in the past by. cutting or fire contains a proportion which, by 

 lucky accident, bears different ages of reproduction. No single age class of 

 second growth, however, is as well represented as the area which, by reason of 

 recurring fires, has been kept denuded until the present time and is just now be- 

 ginning or ready to restock if protected from future fire. The recent rapid 

 progress in fire prevention is just beginning to give it this chance. For this 

 reason the area beginning to reforest in the present decade is greater than that 

 of any past decade and probably greater than that of any future decade because 

 early future cutting or burning is hardly likely to equal the accumulation we now 

 have. Consequently further addition to this accumulation by further immediate 

 cutting is not urgently necessary, although were it not at the sacrifice of the 

 needed standing reserve it would be desirable because future crops will always 

 be valuable largely in proportion to their age and there is no point in deferring 

 them. 



As to the existence of partially matured second crops, to be available to eke 

 out the mature reserve at the time of crisis, there is far less certainty. One of 

 the greatest needs is for a census to determine the quantities and age-classes of 

 such existing second growth, both Government and private, and it is the absence 

 of this that renders impossible any absolutely logical forest policy. From infor- 

 mation available, however, it does not appear that there is sufficient insurance of 

 such a crop to warrant ignoring the paramount importance of protecting the 

 mature reserve or, as we have called it, the controlling remnant. 



To sum up, then, the extension of sales for the sole purpose of starting new 

 growth, while theoretically sound from a productive viewpoint, should be at- 

 tempted but guardedly because maximum permanent production is not, after all, 

 the most important immediate problem. 



IS TOO MUCH BEING SOLD? 



WHILE much has been said in preceding pages against the danger of 

 hasty and sacrificial sale extension in response to ill-advised clamor, 

 this danger still lies in the future. The timber sale business on the 

 national forests can be extended moderately without harm from any viewpoint 

 and there are many reasons why it is desirable, particularly where there is a 



