Back in the early days of the game, in the frog's forums, growing the game was a frequent topic.

The consensus was largely that hiding one cache for every ten you find is a good rule of thumb.

If you enjoy playing the game you should be a contributor, not just a consumer.

As one of the original players of this game (when I started there were three of us) we were all tasked with “getting the word out” and we gradually picked off guys like Yukon Jack and The Tramp to join the fold. 

I’ve always strived to stay ahead of the game in the physical terracache placing game and think I’ve achieved the tithe mentioned by the OP and hope everyone does. But on the flip side of that coin I would hate to see TC go the way of the other site with members reverting to what we used to call “skirt lifter” caches (those at the base of a light pole in a Walmart Parking lot just to meet the quota. Please continue to take me to wonderful places that I would not have found were it not for the terracache places there.  I’ve have found some truly spectacular places finding caches places by guys like Yukon Jack who knows Montana better than any Hiking Book author and The Tramp who has similar knowledge of the Selkirk Mountains of Idaho. 

In the arenas of cyber caches and Locationless caches I can’t approach the genius of guys like WindpumpBoy. But I will endeavor to come up with some ideas that are subtle but not impossible to bring my tithe level up to par. 

Well said Terradactyl, who is one of my sponsors, and strongly second the TC philosophy of "For the love of the hunt" as well as Steve Job's comment "The journey is the reward!"

IMHO, being a part of this "crazy activity" where one can go to physical limits just to find, in many cases like here in Florida, a number or word tacked to at tree in the middle of a swamp or, as those in the Northwest, under a rock at 10,000 feet, has added a good number of years to my life and health - Thanks to the likes of those who set this in motion.

Thanks to the community of TC'rs

Thanks Terradactyl for pointing out that one shouldn't strive to meet that 'ratio' just by throwing a pill bottle into a roadside bush. 

I'm positive the OP is referring to placing some quality caches in support of the game here. To be clear, we're talking about Traditional caches here, not so much Locationless or Cybers in this topic.

I am someone who enjoys getting off the pavement to find caches, and I enjoy hiding them just as much (209 finds/230 hides). 

Often in these forums or in log entries you'll here a player lament "there just aren't any caches around here to find". That was the case in my area seven or eight years ago, and it has changed a lot since. 

Placing traditional caches in our area has had a positive effect on the game around here. A few players have become the 'Jonny Appleseed's of terracaching locally, and it has attracted more players in the area.

Here's where we get back to dexter's message. If it's the same players hiding all the caches - what's in it for them when they want to go hunt for some? Finding dozens of caches without considering placing some yourself doesn't support the game and is just selfish IMO.

So, if you love the hunt, get out and place some quality caches. It will help grow the game and your fellow terracachers will appreciate it.