PROGRESS IN RECLAMATION BISSELL. 515 
to be imsuited to agriculture, although they may be fairly well 
adapted to forest growth, and these ob^dously should be devoted to 
that purpose ; but, though this seeros obvious when stated, it should 
be remembered that the principle has been often and extensively vio- 
lated. A considerable part of the alleged " abandoned " farm lands 
in the New England States are lands that should never have been 
cleared, as they are more suitable for forest growth than for agri- 
culture, and their abandonment has been simply the recognition of 
their appropriate use. 
The existence of rocks and hills is not by any m.eans the only bar 
to the suitability of such lands for agriculture. The soil may be in 
some cases unsuitable for various reasons without expensive modifica- 
tion or application of expensive additions. 
Even where the soil and topography are highly suitable for agri- 
culture it by no means follows that it would be wise to clear the 
cut-over lands and devote them to that purpose. There may be other 
areas in the vicinity just as favorably conditioned where the cost of 
reclamation would be less or where the timber that must be removed 
is less valuable and different tracts should hence be considered in 
the light of their suitability for agriculture in location, topography, 
soil, and climate, and also the character of growth which clearing 
would remove in order that the most valuable timber stands may be 
allowed to mature. 
We should never forget that we will always need forests and wood 
lots to complete the prosperous community, and it is just as im- 
portant to consider and provide for this need in the most efficient 
and economical manner as it is to provide for any other community 
needs. In view of the above it is obvious that only a small fraction 
of the forested areas which are seen on the general map could be 
wisely reduced to cultivation at the present time, or even within 
the next generation. By a wise and skilful discrimination we must 
select those areas requiring the least expenditure and least destruc- 
tion to reduce them to cultivation, and must leave uninjured and 
adequately protected the areas needed for water storage and those 
most suitable for forest production. This still leaves an ample 
choice in the States mentioned for all of the reclamation that is likely 
to be carried out within the next generation, although the rules 
upon which selection is made must obviouslj^ be modified from time 
to time. 
RECLAMATION OF NEGLECTED FARMS, 
In some of the States where little or no opportunity exists for 
the reclamation of arid, wet, or cut-over lands there are still abun- 
dant opportunities for development which involves reclamation of 
other kinds. Many areas exist which have been cultivated and for 
