The Holly chieftain., 1923-04-05
AZ M u FDezsuR4YGES AND sN9
ke@@ NeEyxx1IZeSszT E6

encouragement to timber growing Of this Sort espe
cially by making available the information needed
to grow the character of timber best adapted to
the respective regions, by making tree planting ma
terial available at the lowest possible cost, and
by concessions In taxation which would justify the
farmer In setting aside some of his higher priced
land for this purpose.
"The draft bill which you have presented con-
templates cooperation between national and state
authorities to protect timber from fire. the federal
government to bear part of the expense
heartily concur In the policy of inducing all the
forest states to pass satisfactory protection legis
lation by providing that the secretary Of agricul-
ture may withhold cooperation with them In forest
protection unless the requirements which he shall
propose are adequately met. -. /.
"The taxation Of privately owned forest lands Is
matter of state policy and varies widely in differ
ent states and 1t is suggested that the
secretary of agriculture be given ample authority
to study the taxation policies of the several states
regarding timber lands and growing timber. togett
er with their particular effects upon reforestation
and to collaborate with proper agencies of the
states in devising improved methods of taxing for
est lands adapted to their conditions. So.
"Belng firmly convinced that national leadership
In conserving, protecting and encouraging the
growth of timber resources Is absolutely neces
sary, feel that legislation along the line proposed
in the draft which you have submitted represents
an important step in the perfection of truly ma
tional forest policy"
Col. w. b. Greeley is head of the forest service
Of the Agricultural department, which has charge
of the national forests. These number 149 In 25
states and contain 1856, ,S37,2S2 acres. The forest
service runs the biggest numbering and grazing
business In the world. Forester Greeley, in his
last annual report, has this to say among other
things:
1.-THE problem has two main features. The first
feature is the rising cost Of timber products, which
is due primarily to heavier transportation charges
from and distant sources SuDDy. The
cut Of lumber is decreasing in all the Eastern
states In practically state west of the Great
Plains 1t is increasing. The large sawmills Of the
country are in full migration westward to the last
great virgin timber supply on the Pacific coast.
During the past thirty years the pneres Of the
South have been the mainstay Of the densely popu-
lated Central and Eastern states for softwood um-
Der. Their cut is dwindng. Every year scores of
sawmills dsmanted.
1.-THE second feature Of our forest problem is the
unproductive condition Of immense areas of land
which are not adapted to agriculture The amount
Of unproductive land left in the wake of the saw
mills or abandoned by the farmer has assumed
enormous proportions. Our merchantable timber
Is being cut ut the rate of four five million acres
annually and enormous areas of logged-off land
have accumulated which are not fit for cultivation
but on which little new timber is being grown
What TO do with unused and unproductive land Is
Of the most fundamental economic and social
problems Of the United States.
1.-THE use Of these vast areas Of nontillable land
for growing successive crops Of timber would in
sure ultimately supply Of forest products ade-
quate for all national requirements. 1t would go
far toward maintaining virie rural population
and stable rural communities in the regions of in
ferior soil and limited agriculture"
Minnesota affords concrete example OF the fore
going generalites. Twenty years ago Minnesota
was at the top of the lumber-producing states.
Now 1t sends out of the state s300OOO0O year for