R-USIJ 10/ 10 



Yet we still think in terms of the "ancestral forest," We think of 

 tree-growing as something whic"; takes several generations of time. When 

 we plant or protect a seedling most of us feel a "bit self-righteous. We 

 think we are planting for generations yet unborn. In fact, that feeling 

 has been so strong as to hold "back reforestation of many pine lands. 



That's why the findings of Mr. R. D. Forbes and Mr. Donald Bnice, 

 of the United States Forest Service, are so important. Naturally, when 

 trees start from scratch, with little competition except among them- 

 selves, as they do in second-growth stands, you would e:cpect thoy would 

 grow a little faster at first. 



However, Messrs. Forbes and Bruce did more than just notice that. 

 They measured, and compared, and experiitiented, lhat's more, they dis- 

 covered that a second growth pine stand with proper management and pro- 

 tection, can produce a tree of a given size in half the time required 

 in the original forest. Or even less than half the time. 



Tl^e time required to grow a crop is furthsr cut by the fact that timber 

 is now used in smaller sizes than it used to be in the days of more abundant 

 supply from the original virgin forest primeval. 



That means that the time it takes to grow southern pine for market 

 aan be reduced tremendously. As the Forest Service experts figure it, the 

 period it taizes to grow a pine tree from seed-time to harvest now falls 

 well within the limits of the ordinary life-time. The man who starts the 

 forest may himself reap the reward. The possible Significance of that, 

 in leading foll-cs to think of trees as a crop as well as oats, and wheat and 

 corn, can hardly be exaggerated, 



I can see some old hands in the timber business smiling at that. 

 Their experience with timber from second-growth stands may make Doubting 

 Thomases of them. The quality of second-growth timber is not the same. 



Tliat's true. Of course, the quality is not as Lnportant as it 

 once was, Tv'ood is wood more nearly now than ever before. CJuantity is 

 the big thi:ig. Our reckless cutting of tlmbei- in the past, has broxoght 

 us to a point where we can not be so "choosey" as we were. 



However, most of oior ideas of second-growth timber come from stands 

 01 second-growth left to fight it out in thick>-stands in Nature's old 

 way. Our forestry experts say that in spite of the comparatively lov^- 

 grade timber which second-growth now produces, second-growth appeal's from 

 their experiments to be capable of filling every demand of the -"uture for 

 forest products. 



Instead of letting the trees crowd each other, they allov/ the trees 

 to start in thick stands; so they will shade off lower limbs earl;>" in 

 life and so lead to more clear lumber later. Then by Judicious cutting, 

 they thin out the stand, with the idea of giving the trees the best chance 

 to get light, air, and nourishment to grow to market size and quality in 

 the shortest time. 



-2- 



