cording to the census of 1909, the latest actual figures available, the number of wage-earners is 734, 989. The value of forest products in that year is given as $1,156,129,000. The forest service estimates the present value as approximating $1,250,000,000. The money paid out for salaries and wages was in 1909, $366,167,000, of which $47,428,000 was for salaries and $318,739,000 for wages.

Surely, interests so large are worth caring for. What are we doing to preserve and foster them?

It was first said by, I think, Gifford Pinchot, that the two great enemies of forestry, of our woodland growth, are forest fires and unwise taxation. The country has measurably been awakened. to the fire danger; the United States Forest service notably has done and is doing immensely good and valuable. work in this direction and not less than twenty-nine States make annual appropriations for forestry (including fire protection) ranging in some few States from small amounts, up to $164,500 in New York last year, and $328,000 in Pennsylvania, the total amount in all States so appropriating being $1,340,000.

The various Forestry and Fire Protective Associations are unceasingly are unceasingly active in fire protection work, led by the example of the great Western Forestry and Conservation Association which embraces the States of Washington, Idaho, Montana, California and Oregon. This association set the example of printing and distributing among the school children of those States, circulars containing succinct expressive lessons on the fire danger, luridly illustrated with pictures of forest fires and this example was followed in Pennsylvania in 1912 by the issuance and distribution among the 1,000,000 or more public school, and parochial school children of the State of a fire circular prepared and published jointly by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, the Pennsylvania Conservation Association, the Philadelphia Commercial Museum and Lehigh University. This circular has been copied and issued in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Forestry

Association and distributed among the 450,000 public school children of that State, and also in North Carolina by the North Carolina Forestry Association and such issue is contemplated in other States the importance of impressing on school children throughout the country the danger and the useless and great loss resulting from woodland fires being widely felt. A burned building can be comparatively soon rebuilt, but it requires a great many years to grow a forest. When fire runs through the woods practically all the young trees are killed and most of the older ones are greatly injured or destroyed and so also are all the live seeds and nuts on and in the ground, all the laurel and berry plants, and the humus or mould soil which holds the stored water from the rainfall and from which our springs, creeks and rivers. are kept flowing through the summer and in times of drought.

These views are trite and well known to foresters, but we are meeting here to talk to and confer with the public, with many men and women who feel interested in the forestry question and are seeking elementary information and to them it is well to say-in regard also to the other important question, Unwise Taxation - remember that a farmer growing grain may annually harvest and sell his crop and have wherewith to pay his taxes, but the timber grower raises a crop that does not mature for 30 or 40 or 50 years, or more, and the taxes should be adjusted so as to bear on the yield when it comes with the cutting of the timber and not be assessed and made payable annually, for the owner will cut and sell his timber to avoid the annual tax on a crop giving no annual return.

Legislation of this nature is now on the statute books of New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Connecticut and is in contemplation in other States. Massachusetts and Ohio have recently adopted constitutional amendments permitting such legislation. Other States are moving in that direction and its importance is becoming generally appreciated.

Whether timber growing will be undertaken on any large scale by private owners in this country, even under the most favorable conditions of fire-protection, taxation and location is problematical. The work is apparently one mainly for the National and State Governments though much can be done by the private citizen who bears in mind the Scottish Laird's injunction in the "Heart of Mid-Lothian," when on his death bed he enjoined tree planting on his son, saying, "Jock, when ye hae naething else to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree; it will be growing Jock, when ye're sleepin'."

Walter Scott in a footnote says of this, "The author has been flattered by the assurance that this naive mode of recommending arboriculture arboriculture (which was actually delivered in these very words by a Highland Laird while on his death bed, to his son) had so much weight with a Scottish earl, as to lead to his planting a large tract of country." Finally turning to what has actually been done so far in our National and State Forest Reserves, we find that the National Government has, under the provisions of acts of Congress enacted in 1891 and 1896, set aside for National Forestry Reserves in some twenty some twenty States, areas comprising in all about 140,000,000 acres (not counting lands located within the boundaries of the National Reserves, but which have been alienated) in addition to which there are nearly 27,000,000 acres in Alaska, and about 66,000 acres in Porto Rico

167,066,000 acres of Government reserves; if we reckon with this the land located within the boundaries of the National Forests, approximately 23,000,000 acres, which have been alienated, we have about 190,000,000 acres in all. These reserves are admirably managed by the United States Forest Service, organized in the Department of Agriculture, and under the charge of Henry S. Graves, United States For

ester.

Fourteen States have set aside areas ranging from 1,950 acres in one State to 231,350 in Michigan, 400,000 in Wisconsin, 983,529 in Pennsylvania, and 1,644,088 in New York, as State Forests, the total areas so set aside in all States being 3,426,832 acres, and these States in their Forestry or Conservation Departments are studying and promoting the best utilization of these lands. for the public needs and in this work we cannot too heedfully remember the wise words of Dr..C. W. Hayes, who when Chief Geologist of the U. S. Geological Survey well epitomized the work of Conservation by characterizing it as “Utilization with a maximum efficiency and a minimum waste."

That is the lesson of all Conservation and of Forestry as one of its branches

to so conserve and handle our natural resources that our people shall have their benefit and use and that they shall not be locked up for the possible needs of future generations to the exclusion of the needs of the men of today.

C

ONCERNING Forest Planting in
New York State, Professor
Spring spoke as follows:

The question on the program, "Is it desirable to begin general reforestation of idle lands of the State?" is not one which can be satisfactorily answered. by a mere yes or no. It cannot be answered without detailed study in the field and a very careful consideration of the many factors and policies that are involved.

What data we now have is more or less fragmentary or localized. Rather sweeping estimates have been made of the area requiring reforestation. No doubt seems to exist in many minds that there are large areas suitable only for forest production, but there is need of much more intimate knowledge.

First, the national aspect must be considered. This has been presented before two associations in the past year, the summer conference at Sunapee of the *Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and the Fifth National Conservation Congress recently held at Washington. The necessity of reforestation on an extensive scale on nonagricultural land in order to meet at least in a measure the future needs of the nation for timber was strongly advocated. It is then reasonable to assume that the people of New York State wish to do their part in furthering national prosperity which is founded upon the highest productive

ness and best use of the land in all the

tion.

unused

Agricultural statistics of the State, gathered and compiled by the Bureau of the Census in 1910, present some interesting figures.

Farm land is divided into (1) improved land, (2) woodland, and (3) all other unimproved land. Improved land includes all land regularly tilled or mowed, land pastured and cropped in rotation, land lying fallow, land in gardens, orchards, vineyards, and nurseries, and land occupied by farm buildings. Woodland includes all land covered with natural or planted forest trees, which produce or later may produce, firewood or other forest products.

The approximate land surface of the State is 30,498,560 acres. Of this area, 72.2 per cent. is in farms. The following statistics show the general nature of

these farms:

Forestry, Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 521.

Improved land in farms in 1900 15,599,986 Woodland in farms.... 4,436,145 Other unimproved land in farms 2,750,183

By deducting the farm area from the total land surface there is found to remain 8,468,193 acres. Of course a portion of this is occupied by cities, towns. and villages. It is presumable that a large proportion is forest land. We cannot exactly determine what part is cut over, burned over and not restocking. However, if we assume it to be a quarter of the area mentioned that would be approximately 2,000,000 acres. To this may be added at least a part of the class known as "other unimproved land in farms" in the table already mentioned, possibly 2,000,000 acres. This gives a total of 4,000,000 Undoubtedly there are additional areas that are now farmed which are not well suited to agriculture, and there is woodland which can best be renewed by planting after cutting or by underplanting. On the other hand, there are areas now wooded which are suitable for agricultural purposes and will be cleared.

acres.

I have given these conservative figures to show that the people of the State have a definite problem before them which attains decided importance in the maintenance of New York's timber production. Much unused land. represents retrogression and not prog

ress.

The first principle in the maintenance. of a timber supply is efficient protection from fire. This we have on our State Preserves, but not organized service in the rest of the State. Last summer on one day during the drought period I could from a hill near Ithaca, see a dozen forest fires burning. Can plantations in woodland regions outside of the Preserves be safe from loss by fire? Shall the Association recommend planting on a great scale without the assur

ance of organized means of control and prevention of fires? A commercial basis for forest planting must rest primarily on the safety of the investment. This applies equally well to an investment in woodland and its improvement.

Measures of prevention rest not alone, however, with the State, but must be supplemented by the efforts of individuals and of corporations who undertake planting. Local protection. by fire lines and by other means has proven adequate to protect planted forest adjoining railroads and which was open to danger from other causes of fires. Educational work and organized fire prevention can remove to a large degree this objection or stumbling block to the planting of forests. Adequate fire protection is sure to come if extensive planting is done. Planting creates and increases interest in fire prevention.

The danger of losses due to insects, fungi and other injurious agencies does not necessarily render an investment in planting unsafe. Careful judgment in the selection of species and mixtures, as well as subsequent economic measures for preventing losses or reducing the damage, are reasonable safeguards in this respect.

So far as taxation is concerned, there is steady progress in legislation to do away with injustice arising from repeated taxation of the forest crop.

Another important principle is well stated in a report presented at the Fifth National Conservation Congress as follows:

"The second principle is to establish_a timber supply on a permanent basis. Το accomplish this purpose, work must naturally begin with a classification of the land, determining as closely as possible what lands are agricultural in character and what lands are non-agricultural and should therefore be devoted to the growing of timber. This classification should be carried out by the State irrespective of the ownership of the land classified. Theoretically, this work should precede attempts at reforestation, afforestation, application of silvicultural

methods of cutting, attempts to equalize the tax on timber and timberlands, or State ownership of lands used for forestry purposes. However, in practice it has been found expedient to develop forestry work along such of these lines as the public understands and is ready to accept. Nevertheless, non-agricultural lands must be determined, and the classification agreed to by the people, before one can consider forestry as established on a permanent footing in the State."

Further than this a State cannot enter on a broad intelligent policy of reforestation without sufficiently detailed knowledge of conditions.

This does not apply to reforestation on denuded lands now owned by the State but rather to the so-called "idle lands" outside State areas.

Successful commercial planting depends upon a good future market, lands of low value on which to plant, a choice of species suited to the needs of the market and to the conditions, local and regional, relative freedom from sources of damage, a low initial cost of planting, and a return on the money invested equal to at least a fair rate of interest. Many examples of successful plantations exist which meet these conditions.

If forest planting is to be conducted on a large scale in New York State, who shall do it? State ownership of forests is increasingly favored because it assures management of forest lands to furnish continuous crops of timber. New York has a large area in the Preserves representing approximately 12 per cent. of the total forest and woodland area of the State. Extensive planting of denuded areas in the Preserves each year should be generously provided for by legislative appropriation.

Outside of the Preserves, because of the excellent policy of the State in furnishing trees at cost, considerable private planting is being done. It is doubtful if planting by private owners will be sufficiently great to meet the needs of our present situation. Such planting will indeed be a factor in the solution of the problem. Short time investments in planting for fence post production are very attractive to the farmer. Improvement of nonagricultural land on the farm by means of

forest planting is receiving increasing stimulus annually.

Although reforestation for timber production is not quite so attractive to the private owner, many small plantations are being set annually. Planting by individuals is often a matter of personal interest in such work for the purpose of improving property so that no part of the land is idle, and with no idea on the owner's part that he himself will harvest the timber. He simply sees his property improved and enhanced in value, more easily sold or left in better condition for his children.

As an investment, timber planting by private owners must be considered in connection with the steady appreciation in value of forest products and in the price of land. There are many localities in the Eastern United States where waste lands are remarkably cheap. These are nonagricultural, but with the increase of values for other types of land in the locality the price of these lands is rising. Good roads and transportation by automobile have put extensive areas within reach of larger and smaller cities for country residence. This line of development will continue. Planting on such lands will add distinctively to future sale values.

In view of what has been done, and in the light of opportunity, there is an excellent field for planting by railroad companies, public and private water companies and many corporations. The State should render these as much assistance as possible through co-operaation in planting. Such planting, however, cannot compass a large percentage of the land which should be reforested.

Granting that an adequate knowledge has been obtained concerning area, location and character of waste and denuded land, and that the factors already discussed have been considered, an answer can be attempted to the question, "Who shall plant and manage these forests?" The answer may be that the State should obtain additional holdings in counties where the reforestation area is very large and continuous in extent. It is also possible that acquirement of forest land and waste