592 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



1892 the General Government had made several extensive reserva- 

 tions, as parks, for preserving and opening to pleasure-seekers 

 some of the natural wonders of our land, besides others for mili- 

 tary purposes viz. : 



Yellowstone Park, "Wyoming, containing 2,888,000 acres. 



Yosemite National Park, California, containing 960,000 " 



Sequoia National Park, California, containing 100,000 " 



General Grant National Park, California, containing 8,000 " 



Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, containing 2,529 " 



In all 3,953,529 acres. 



During the administration of President Harrison several other 

 and large reserves were added to these, so that we now have in 

 all over seventeen million acres. 



In the memorial presented to the President by the American 

 Forestry Congress it is declared that the object of such reser- 

 vations is to increase the sum total of the productiveness of our 

 territory, the lands reserved being those that are unfit for agri- 

 culture, but capable, under wise management, of producing a 

 greatly increased amount of forest products annually. Neither 

 bona fide settlement of agricultural land, nor the right of pros- 

 pecting for and opening mines, are to be interfered with. De- 

 mands for wood material are to be satisfied in a large and equi- 

 table manner ; while it is sought to minimize the destruction by 

 forest fires and wasteful and erroneous methods. The associa- 

 tion further declared that such reservations would no tsatisfy the 

 needs of forest protection unless the number is sufiiciently large 

 to embrace practically all the remaining public woodlands. 



Several of the States have also recognized the importance of 

 setting apart reserves of woodlands. In the great State of New 

 York this sentiment had become so strong by 1872 that a com- 

 mission was appointed to inquire into the expediency of legisla- 

 tion for vesting in the State the title to the timbered Adirondack 

 region, and converting it into a public park. But public opinion 

 was not sufficiently ripe, and the destruction of timber and ab- 

 sorption by corporations and individuals went on as before. It 

 was not until 1893 that a bill was passed which provides for the 

 acquisition by the State of the control of large districts, in addi- 

 tion to the half million already owned by the State, to be held in 

 forest for the preservation of the sources of the chief rivers ; for 

 its future timber supply ; for game preservation, and for the free 

 use by the people for health and pleasure. Nearly one million 

 acres have thus far been set aside. How far this legislation if 

 perfected will prove valuable depends upon the wisdom of the 

 management. In its inception there is the highest wisdom. 



Notwithstanding the public interest awakened and the laws 



