The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-03-27
THE GROWING OF
TREES AS CROPS.
Secretary of Agriculture Recommends
this In Annual Report.

at is as sure that forest land can be
made to grow successive crops OF trees
under proper methods as that plow land
can he made to grow successive crops
OF wheat" says the Secretary of Agri-
culture in the part Of his annual report
wherein he speaks Of the National For
ests.
This country which once could boast
of forest resources richer than any
other nation in the world, has been cut
ting three times as much timber for a
number of years as there is grown,
and the consideration Of timber as a
crop to be carefully harvested has come
at a time when mary Of the virgin for
ests are already depleted. Continuing,
Secretary Wilson says in part:
Just as American farming has had to
develop and is still developing methods
adapted the conditions of each region
to make the best use of the agricultural
lands, so must the forester learn by
scientific study and practical trial to
make the best use of timber land. And
the best use means, OF course, not merely
its best use for the growing of trees,
hut its best use with reference to all in
terests directly or indirectly affected
by ii.
Gas time passes, it will doubtless APP
pear that the principles which centu-
ries of experience in older countries
have placed at our command can be ap-
piled with increasing good results as we
grow more familiar with our own spe-
cial conditions. The issue is sharply
between caring for our forests by APP
plying a system Of known efficiency, or
suffering certain loss not only of the
forests, but Of disable water and soil as
we'll, through the operation Of causes as
certain to act as are the rivers to run
to the sea-"
The Forest Service now has admins
tration over more than 10000, 900 acres
of land. This is slightly more than one
fifth of the eountry's total forested area;
the remainder is In the hands Of private
owners. Nearly all the timber land of
the unappropriated public domain is
now in the National Forests. This
means that it is being protected against
fire, theft, and wasteful exploitation,
that it's power to grow wood and store
water is being ~safeguarded for all time,
and that nevertheless, its present sup
ply OF useful material is open to imme-
date use whenever it is wanted. The
report says:
"The timber in the National Forests,
which is the legacy OF the growth OF
centuries, Is now In the truest sense
public property, administered for the
benefit Of the people-primarily for the
benefit Of the people of the West, since
they are nearest at hand, but on the
whole, for the benefit Of every part of
the country, since the welfare of every
section is interviewer with that of all
others. The communities and settlers
adjacent to the forests are safe from
any fear of monopoly Of n Of the chief
necessities of civilized man."
The Secretary tells interestingly OF
how the government manages its timber
lands as a trustee, 1t gives timber
away through free-use permits in small
quantities to the actual homemaker,
who comes to develop the country, and
in larger quantities to communities for
public purposes. It's system of manage
ment is vastly different from that OF a
landlord. When large quantities of
timber are harvested from the National
Forests, sales are made to the highest
bidder, but under such restrictions as
look to the maintenance Of a lasting
supply answering to the needs of the
locality, to be had without favoritism
and without extortionate demand based
upon the necessity of the u