14 Department Circular 112, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



the forest growing resources of the United States may be fairly esti- 

 mated and utilized in consideration of other land uses. Senate bill 

 3555, for the survey of pulpwoods, covers part of the comprehensive 

 investigation necessary. 



Exact information upon timber stands or growth and upon the 

 areas of forest as distinct from agricultural land is not to be had. It 

 is essential for developing a national forest policy designed to supply 

 timber of the kinds and in the quantities and places needed by the 

 country. 



(6) Current Appropriations for Forest Research 



The current appropriations of the Forest Service should be suffi- 

 cient to maintain experiment stations in all the principal forested 

 regions of the United States. 



Further research is not necessary to determine the urgency of the 

 action proposed. But a continuous study of the techical phases of 

 reforestation in the principal timber regions, with their tremendous 

 diversity of forests and methods of forestry practice, is essential to 

 carry the national policy forward to the best results. Recent cuts 

 in congressional appropriations will necessitate closing the four 

 experiment stations hitherto established in the western States. 

 Not only should those stations be restored, but provision should be 

 made for additional experiment stations covering the other important 

 forest regions of the country. 



The survey of forest resources should be undertaken at once; but 

 the essential facts as to timber depletion and its causes are so clear 

 that no time should be lost in enacting the legislation recommended, 

 particularly for cooperation with States and the extension of National 

 Forests. The first point of general attack in arresting devastation 

 is to stop forest fires. Hence a law permitting effective Federal and 

 State action in this matter, as already outlined, is of the greatest 

 urgency. 



THE STATE LEGISLATION NEEDED. 



The State legislation necessary to stop forest devastation will 

 necessarily vary in different regions. Certain essential features of 

 such laws, however, are common to all of the States containing large 

 forest areas. The more important of them may be stated briefly as 

 follows : 



(1) Fire Prevention and Reforestation of Private Lands. 



State laws should provide for the organized protection of all forest 

 lands in the State, during periods of fire hazard, the protected areas 

 to include all cut-over and unimproved land as well as bodies of 

 timber. The protective system should include patrols during dry 

 weather, lookout stations, fire breaks and roads where effective, and 



