, TAX LANDS AND FORESTRY. 21 



State and residents in reference to forest fires, are working together 

 towards the reduction of great areas to desert conditions. The stripping 

 of the scattered growth, where it does not bring fire upon the land as 

 its immediate accompaniment, leaves the inflammable toppings and cut- 

 tings scattered about, converting the land into the very condition most 

 inviting to fire and contributing its readiest means of spreading. An- 

 other fire leaves the land bare, and probably kills not only all the young 

 growth, but all the seed that may be scattered on the ground, leaving 

 nothing in many cases with which nature can work to reforest; the 

 young growth, the forest cover, the seeds, the seed-bearing trees, all are 

 gone. 



This unwise land policy, and the State's neglect of the fire problem, 

 are, in a large measure, due to failure to recognize the function and 

 value of the scattered forest growth upon cut-over land. It constitutes 

 an asset of large value, quite distinct from the land itself. It gives the 

 capacity to reforest naturally without artificial aid. It is true, per- 

 haps, i that much of nature's unaided work of reforestation will not be 

 as quickly done as if the same area were artificially planted, and that 

 she will often restock the land with trees less valuable than pine and 

 the more desirable hardwoods; but, on the other hand, the cost of 

 planting artificially is saved, and the product, whatever the character 

 of the timber produced, will be of substantial value in time to come 

 when all timber and wood values must of necessity be higher than they 

 are now, and when much forest growth will have a market demand that 

 never has been considered mercbantable. Moreover, in all the ways that 

 forestry aids agriculture or contributes to the public benefit, in the bet- 

 terment of water supply and regulation of stream flow, the forest cover 

 resulting from nature's unaided work of reforestation will be as valuable 

 as though the trees were all of the most desirable kinds for timber. The 

 capacity of nature to reforest therefore, is an asset of great value. If 

 the timber skinner is allowed even a few years longer to make way with 

 the seed trees, every acre on which fire follows, as it will shortly, will 

 be divested permanently of this capacity to reforest itself; and as seed 

 trees on one forty may mean the capacity to reforest not only this 

 forty, but its eight adjoining like parcels, the extent of the area afiEected 

 by the loss is evident. Moreover it means a distinct injury even to the 

 agricultural land destined to become farms; and to all the large acre- 

 age that is non-agricultural, and that in wisdom should be again turned 

 into forest, it means the difference between the cost of natural and of 

 artificial reforestation. 



Letters and statements from people well acquainted with the condi- 

 tion of the cut-over lands of the north will be found in Appendix 5. 

 They picture the condition of these lands as it relates to their ability 

 to reforest naturally. They present the subject from the points of view 

 of many people widely scattered in the State. Taken together as a 

 whole they make what may be likened to a composite photograph. 



