The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-01-26
RECLAMATION IN REVERSE
FORESTS AND PASTURES SUGGESTED AS AIDS
TO AGRICULTURE

lily III OIuSI W pay HAo IeaASS VI ITO
rent. To ask him to pillow under every
third row-as the Farm Board once
asked the cotton growers to dds
considered as unreasonable as to ask
the factory owner or manager to
smash every third machine in his
plant or to request the landlord to
burn-without insurance-every third
house he owns.
Yet this problem of the utilization
of submarginal farm land is becoming
more pressing every year. In nearly
every State farms are being aban-
doned in large numbers and others are
being surrendered for tax delinquency.
In Mississippi alone 10000 farms
were appropriated for non-payment of
taxes in the first three-quarters of
1882. Thus the States are coming
into possession of land which, nation
ally, runs into millions of acres.
The States cannot derive taxes from
this land, nor can they sell it in the
present demoralized market. With
corn rotting on the stalks and fruit
decaying under the trees for want of
buyers, no one is willing to spend
money on a farm which has not given
its previous owner even enough in
come to cover the taxes. And in many
communities social disapproval pre-
vents anyone except the debtor from
bidding at a farm tax sale.
Since the States are being saddled
with these white elephant farms
which in many instances cannot be
returned to private hands even as
gifts-the next step suggested is to
formulate land policy that will put
this and perhaps other submarginal
farm land to more profitable use. The
problem is to utilize this land with
out allowing its return to cultiva-
ton, since it's use for crops under
present conditions would not only be
improbable to the operator but would
injure the farmers Of more fertile
land by adding to the surplus and
thus depressing prices. And, it is
pointed out, the problem must be
solved without adding to the already
heavy burden of the taxpayers.
The current shortage of grazing and
forest lands deserves consideration in
connection with this problem. The
number of cattle in the United States
has been increasing since the COS, and
we are still importing wool Our pas
turage for dairy cows is inadequate.
Moreover, some of the grazing lands
of the public domain are being abused
by overgrazing, which is leading to an
alarming degree of erosion.
$50
Our shortage of forests is even
more serious. We are cutting trees
four times as fast as we grow them,
and the. nation is threatened with a
timber famine within generation
unless a more vigorous policy for re-
forestation is adopted. Many of the
present abandoned or tax-delinquent
farms are suitable for growing tim
Der, but timber grows too slowly to
attract private capital for such in
vestment, and in some States taxes
virtually prohibit private forest cul-
ture.
The State of New York already has
undertaken an ambitious program of
reforestation. In 1881 the voters of
that State ratified a constitutional
amendment which called for the APP
preparation of $19,O0O,O0O, spread over
a period of eleven years, beginning in
1882. This money will be used to
buy and plant forests of more than
100000 acres in designated coun-
ties. The areas acquired will be
abandoned farm lands classified as
submarginal and will account for
about one-fourth of the deserted
farms in the State.
This enterprise is expected eventu-
ally to pay its way through the sale of
fence posts, poles, cross-ties, lumber
and pulpwood. At present New York
produces scarcely more than one
thirtieth of the lumber it consumes,
and spends $40,000,0O0 a year in
freight charges to bring in lumber
from other States and from Canada.
In other states, especially in the
Northeastern part of the country, the
reforestation movement is gaining
momentum. State forests, game ref
uges, county forests and state and
county parks are being established.
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michi-
gan have undertaken extensive tree
planting. The Quaker State has been
using prison labor to set out trees on
public lands, and in the West Cali
fornia is charging her system of
State parks.
AS a rule, the ends of land utiliza-
ton dovetail closely with those Of con-
servation and of providing grounds for
recreation. Land acquired for parks