- 
. 
68 RECREATION. 
There are, however, 2 other conceptions 
or points of view that force themselves 
on us when using the word forest, and dis- 
tinguish the forest from such woodlands 
as orchards, windbreaks, roadside plantings 
and parks. 
A forest looks different from those other 
kinds of plantations, and its object is dif- 
ferent. We recognize such a thing as for- 
est conditions and forest purposes. These 
are important distinctions. Not any collec- 
tion of trees, but a certain kind and char- 
acteristic form is a forest and certain ob- 
jects are involved. 
The first and foremost object of a forest 
is to supply us with wood material; it is 
the substance of the trees itself, not their 
fruit, as in the orchard; not their beauty, 
as in the park; not their shelter, as in the 
wind break; not their shade, as in the street 
trees, that constitute the primary object of 
this class of woodland, although inciden- 
tally all these other objects may also be 
served by it. Ultimately, then, a forest is 
nothing more nor less than a wood crop, 
just as a wheat field, while a beautiful ob- 
ject and perhaps a useful soil cover, is a 
food crop. 
Only when the trees are cut and made 
into useful wood articles is the final object 
of a forest fulfilled; no matter what other 
objects it may have incidentally satisfied 
until harvest. Hence, if the State of New 
York withdraws from such use a large 
woodland area in the Adirondacks to sub- 
serve solely these secondary or incidental 
purpose, it is an economic mistake, which 
time and intelligent conception of rational 
economy will correct. 
Sometimes and under certain conditions 
the shelter and soil cover which a forest 
furnishes may become more important than 
the wood material, namely, where steep 
slopes are to be protected against erosion 
and the water flow is to be regulated or the 
climate is to be ameliorated. These pur- 
poses can be attained without foregoing the 
main purpose of wood supply. 
Again, on limited areas a forest may be 
set aside, as by the kings of old, as a game 
preserve and for pleasure purposes. 
We may, therefore, recognize this last 
class as a luxury forest, the former as pro- 
tection forest; but ultimately, in a well- 
regulated economic, industrial nation they 
must all become supply forests. Only the 
manner of management will vary wherever 
the former 2 objects are to be kept promi- 
nent. 
While, then, the object of the wooded 
territory designates it as a forest, we also 
recognize forest conditions. The forest is 
not a mere collection of trees, but in order 
to fulfil its objects, the ideal conditions are 
a more or less exclusive occupancy with 
arborescent growth; a close stand of trees, 
resulting in individual tree development uti- 
like that produced in the open stand; and a 
more or less dense shading of the ground, 
which excludes largely the lower vegeta- 
tion. By so much as these conditions are 
deficient, by so much does the forest fail to 
fulfil its economic functions as a source of 
useful material and as a factor in influen- 
cing climatic and soil conditions. Only 
because of the absence of better ones, do 
the woodlands in open stand, which charac- 
terize the arid regions, deserve the name of 
forest. 
It is not merely wood which is required 
by man, but wood of certain description, 
certain qualities and sizes such as are fit 
to be cut into lumber, as boards, planks, 
joists, scantlings; into timber, as beams, 
sills and posts; or into bolts free from blem- 
ish, which can be advantageously manufac- 
tured into the thousand articles that are in- 
dispensable to human _ civilization. The 
trees which satisfy these requirements are 
those having a long, cylindrical shaft free 
of branches and of the resulting knots. Such 
trees are produced by the dense stand. The 
close neighbors deprive the lower branches 
early of sidelight, kill them, and rub off 
the dead branches. This forces the crown 
to reach up for light, and to put all growth 
energy into the bole instead of dissipating 
it into branch growth, such as is the proper 
thing for a shade tree or a lawn tree to 
develop. ‘ 
Many of our virgin woodlands fail in this 
respect to satisfy the economic requirement 
of furnishing.a suitable timber supply. Not 
only are large areas occupied by species of 
little usefulness, but they lack the ideal for- 
est conditions which it is the function of 
the forester to create. 
































Visitor: So you were shipwrecked and 
came near starving? 
Mariner: Yes, mum, and I had to eat a 
whisk broom and the sawdust out of 
cushion. 
Visitor: It must have been a terribl 
dose. 
Mariner: Not so bad, mum. Yer see 
had been used to eating health foods. 
Chicago News. 

As a sportsman I could not get alon 
without RECREATION, as it gives so mu 
valuable information about — huntin 
grounds and sporting goods. I am muc 
pleased at the way you roast the gam 
hogs. 
E. A. Schwartz, Alewive, Me. 

A Philadelphia paper recently printe 
the following: 
“Wanted—A young unmarried womart 
without children, wants position as coo 
or housekeeper.” 
