AN AUSTRALIAN STUDY OF AMERICAN FORESTRY. 105 
This insistence upon picked timber is a pioneering phase, consequent 
upon a limited need and a comparative original abundance. Australia is still 
a young country, but its resources in wood are limited. The time for conserva- 
tion and efficiency has arrived, and pioneering methods must go. Virtually, 
only one grade of timber is employed at present—the best. The American 
timber trade recognises ten different classes. 
Conservative timber-getting is the first step in silviculture. And, since the 
fate of the forests is at present largely in the hands of private enterprise, the 
methods of private enterprise must be regulated. There must be attached to 
timber sale agreements and licenses, such conditions as from time to time may 
be found requisite to secure improvement. In this way is being guided the 
betterment of logging in American reservations—wde my remarks under 
“Timber Sale Policy.” 
But conservative lumbering involves a greater expenditure of energy, 
both mental and physical, and although it achieves substantial economy in the 
utilisation of the product and the preparation of the ground for regeneration, 
it makes immediately for added. cost in working. And added cost is not 
shouldered willingly by private enterprise, whose main concern is maximum 
profit. 
The question of royalties, therefore, is involved. As a matter of fact, the 
correct appraisal of stumpage values is fundamental to forest management. 
Nor is it an altogether simple task. since it includes not only considerations 
of silvicultural treatment, but also the necessities of the timber trade. An 
intensive enquiry into labour, freight, and market conditions is essential to 
success. No rough-and-ready approximations will suffice, and the subject must 
be tackled. with determined thoroughness, and worked out by thoroughly com- 
petent men. There is no greater bone of contention between the forester 
and the timber-getter than an untrue royalty, arid no greater curse to forestry 
than its arbitrary imposition. Values must be natural. 
The “uniform royalty” expedient is one that still survives pioneering 
necessities in most of the Australian States. Its crudity and general ineffec- 
tiveness are obvious, but it seems difficult to break away from a tradition. 
Progress after all is a mere patching-up in perpetuity. Recently, New South 
Wales has strained away from its ancient principles and in lieu of the uniform 
royalty has adopted a “minimum royalty.” But the new minimums are 
considerably higher than the old “ uniform” rates, and if applied as such must 
have the effect of arbitrarily bolstering-up stumpage values or of increasing 
the use of imported timbers—when peace permits. There is, however, no 
definition as to the incidence of the minimum rates. 
Of all the Australian States, Queensland has been the most fortunate with 
regard to timber sale policy. It avoided the wiles of the royalty license 
method, and from the beginning founded its development upon the solid rock 
of actual sale on the open market at competition. 
Despite inevitable discrepancies of a minor nature, owing to the machina- 
tions of groups of buyers, the adoption of the auction principle has culminated 
in the natural market values that now obtain, and, combined with the 
governmental policy of building railroads to the forests, has been responsible 
for the securing of the highest stumpage values in Australia—and beyond. 
The system is safeguarded by the fixing of upset prices based upon a scientific 
study of labour, freight, and market conditions. 
