STATUS AND VALUE OF FAKM WOODLOTS. 27 



sonable extent the process of shrinkage in farm woodlands. Over- 

 mature and decaying woods, it is true, must often be cut at once to 

 secure any return from them, and financial stringency may force the 

 sacrifice of young, thrifty stands without suitable provision for secur- 

 ing a new growth at least equally good. Clearing under these condi- 

 tions is inevitable. But there is a pronounced tendency, especially 

 upon transfers of title to farm property, to clear land recklessly for 

 whatever small value is offered. This is shown by the great increase 

 in unimproved lands without woods, which, according to Table 5, 

 amounted to 34 per cent in the 30 years between 1880 and 1910. ' By 

 cooperation in control of farm property this situation might in large 

 measure be rectified. 



WOODLOTS AND COMMUNITY FORESTS. 



The highest direct value of woodlots is to the local communities. 

 Census statistics for 1909 show that the farms themselves consumed 

 over half the value of the woodlot products. Of the material sold 

 much undoubtedly went to near-by farms, or to local dealers in 

 lumber and fuel, to be retailed for consumption in the neighborhood. 

 A great many small veneer, vehicle, cooperage, and other factories 

 derive their entire supply from local woodlots. 



There is thus every incentive for communities to encourage the 

 development of local woodlots and thereby protect themselves from 

 future timber scarcity and high prices. Several States have already 

 taken steps in this direction by passing laws providing for a final 

 yield tax on timber when cut instead of the annual taxation still 

 customary in many States. Such legislation, together with the 

 gradually increasing value of timber, appeals to the individual 

 farmers and will doubtless encourage many of them to practice wood- 

 lot forestry. But in order to insure a perpetual annual yield of 

 timber in desirable forms and in substantially equal quantities other 

 steps are necessary. Timber is a " long-time " crop. To secure an- 

 nual yields of any size a comparatively large aggregate area, man- 

 aged under a single working plan, is essential, though the timber 

 may be divided among many small, isolated tracts. The individual 

 farmer can not, therefore, practice forestry as a business except in 

 a small way. It is possible that individuals may occasionally be 

 induced to pool their woodlot properties under a single system of 

 operation. This may work out in connection with the development 

 of the present cooperative movement among farmers. It is probable, 

 however, that in the future a separate class of forest holdings, com- 

 munity or town forests, intermediate in character between the farm 

 woodlot and the larger, more remote bodies of timber, will afford 

 permanent annual supplies of wood products to local communities. 



