opportunity for this new industry is found in our remaining virgin 
forests, and in our vast second-growth regions, through forest prac- 
{ices to assure continuous reproduction. Especially important are 
practices to insure natural reseeding and to prevent fires. 
Commercial forestry, which rests on private enterprise, should 
be distinguished from government forestry, The federal govern- 
ment is extensively in the business of growing and selling timber 
on the national forests. We must look to federal and state govern- 
ments, also, to acquire and reforest the vast areas of waste forest 
lands where the expense of the necessary hand planting or seeding 
makes private undertaking impracticable, but the public interest 
requires reforestation. 
The wealth-producing qualities of this new industry are of 
interest to all communities, those that consume forest products, 
and those whose virgin forests were cut vears ago as well as those 
whose virgin forests remain. 
Although a considerable number of forest owners have em- 
barked on commercial forestry, especially in connection with the 
management of their virgin and second-growth timber, the propor- 
tion of commercially operated forest areas to our total forest area 
is still very small, due to economic, physical and legislative obsta- 
cles. 
The economic difficulty confronting commercial forestry is the 
competition of ‘‘nature-grown’’ forests. The gift by nature to the 
American people of vast “ready-grown’ forests has supplied the 
wood-using industries with raw material that can be sold the public 
more cheaply than that “commercially grown.” This disadvantage 
is being gradually overcome, however. In some sections it has 
already been overcome, and in time ‘‘commercial forests” in general 
throughout the United States will not be at an economic disad- 
rantage with “nature-grown’ forests. 
The physical obstacles are the long time required to mature a 
tree, which necessitates a long-time investment; risk from pests and 
fire. The development of the pulp industry which can use small, 
immature trees promises to shorten greatly the time of investment. 
And it is entirely practicable to combat successfully both pest and 
fire through enlarged and more efficient measures. 
Legislative obstacles can be expressed in one word, “taxation.” 
Economic conditions may adjust,themselves, government and indi- 
viduals may cope with fire and pest, but commercial forestry will 
not succeed until it enjoys a scientific and equitable system of taxa- 
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