and the filling in of seriously understocked stands. 

 The State and Federal Governments should co- 

 operate in the regeneration of the scrub-oak area 

 to pine. 



4. In order to increase the density of second- 

 growth stands and to obtain larger trees, a large 

 proportion of the present excess of increment 

 over drain in these stands should be allowed to 

 accumulate for a number of years. The growing 

 stock of timber can be increased in volume and in 

 value through intelligent action in the forest, but 

 there can be no assurance of permanency unless 

 the size of the industrial installation set up for its 

 utilization is gaged to operate well within the 

 growth possibilities. 



5. State legislation should be enacted which 

 would give the State a clear title to tax-delinquent 

 land, and wherever possible the forest land thus 

 acquired should be placed under management 

 designed to build up and protect the growing stock. 



6. Because of the favorable outlook for profitable 

 returns from well-managed forest lands, forest- 



land owners should be encouraged, educated, and 

 aided by public agencies to handle their lands 

 wisely for timber production, so that they them- 

 selves, the forest industries, and the communities 

 may enjoy to the fullest possible extent the benefits 

 of the forest. To this end the forest extension 

 activities of the State should be materially in- 

 creased. 



7. The outstanding need is more intensive and 

 effective control of fires. Only 30 percent of north- 

 eastern Florida forests was under organized fire 

 protection in 1938. The prevalence of fire is 

 mainly responsible for the open nature of the 

 stands and their relatively low increment. Effec- 

 tive control of fire is essential to reduce the exces- 

 sive mortality rate which now exists. It will 

 result quickly and certainly in the filling in of 

 large tracts of understocked stands and in the 

 natural regeneration of many of the clear-cut 

 stands. Only with effective control of the fire 

 situation can this area be expected to increase 

 materially its annual output of forest wealth. 



