32 



MISC. PUBLICATION 16 2, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



cultural agent, State extension forester, or from his State forester. 

 The management of farm woodlands will make an interesting and 

 instructive project for 4-H clubs, future farmers of America, or 

 other groups of young people in rural communities — a project which 

 also will bring in returns in dollars and cents. 



COMMERCIAL FORESTRY 



Commercial or industrial forestry is the business of growing 

 timber as a crop to supply industrial needs. In the past, few of the 

 private concerns which had extensive forest holdings did more than 

 exploit their mature timber; and gave little heed to the permanent 

 production of the raw materials necessary for the continuance of 

 their operations. 



F-55996. F- 202858 



Figure 19. — Farm Woodlands. 



A, A South Dakota prairie farmstead protected from the prevailing high winds of that 

 region by a windbreak of planted trees ; B, 50-year-old white oak timber in an Ohio 

 woodland. 



That some degree of forest culture be given the forest lands in 

 private ownership is of prime importance to the welfare of this 

 country. Some of our choicest forest areas are included in the vast 

 timber holdings of private companies and individuals. Numerous 

 industries and even communities are dependent upon them for 

 existence. Forest lands in private ownership produce most of our 

 lumber and forest products. 



The big question in the handling of all private forest lands is, of 

 course, " will forestry pay ? " Many believe that it will, under good 

 average conditions of climate or soil, and accessibility to markets. 

 A number of lumber and logging companies, pulp and paper con- 

 cerns, coal companies, railroads, and other users of wood in large 

 quantities, are instituting measures that, to some extent at least, 

 look to the growing of their own forest products as a continuing 

 crop. A number of them employ trained foresters to handle their 

 forest lands, and some are artificially reforesting lands which have 

 become denuded. 



Two barriers to the success of private timber growing are high 

 taxes and forest fires. The forest crop requires a longer period to 



