MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 25 



Avorthless trash, overgrown with bushes and fireweed, ready fuel for a 

 series of conflagrations that sweep through from time to time, or a 

 sandy plain covered with sweet fern and goldenrod, used by Chicago 

 speculators to defraud the settlers who from time to time try to make 

 a livelihood from it. 



There are here three wastes, the half crop of timber later burned, 

 the land left in a useless condition, and labor wasted in trying to make 

 it useful. 



The logs thus gathered are driven to the mill by a crew of loose livers 

 whose hard earned wages are largely scattered to the dive and brothel 

 in a few weeks. The saw mills devour them and circular saws rip a 

 wide swath of saw dust waste at each cut ; piles of slabs, saw dust, and 

 waste of every description are transported in a continuous stream to 

 an ever burning fire whose pillar of cloud by day and fire by night be- 

 tokens the presence not of Jehovah but of the demon of destruction. 

 The timber itself is shipped east to build up the fame of Michigan pine 

 and the money thus acquired by one who keeps on making money be- 

 cause he does not know what else to do, is squandered by his heirs 

 who by themselves or by those whom they i)urchase as husbands, scatter 

 it to scandalize two continents. 



The forest, the accumulation of generations, and of ages of sunshine, 

 rain and dew, is gone, and there is less than notliing to show for it. 

 This is criminal waste. 



Now let us paint a brighter picture. Into the forest go a lot of 

 sturdy pioneers, such as Ralph Connor loves to picture, bent on caring 

 for themselves and their children. The instructions are to cut every 

 green top, and every thing is gathered up, even old half burned logs. 

 Whatever is not otherwise used is used for fuel in making salt, but all 

 that can be used down to stuff that will only make lath or matches or 

 toothpicks is saved and pains are ta^en to make even the narrow band 

 saw cut as narrow as may be. The land is left ready, if it is good 

 enough, for one of those same sturdy pioneers to take hold of and make 

 a farm that will be the stay of his old age. and the homestead of his 

 children. That best fitted to remain forest returns once more to the 

 State to be reforested. 



The lumber goes where it is most needed, but part of it into buildings 

 within the State, of permanent artistic value — a permanent pride and 

 landmark, like the capitol. The fortune thus acquired is expended per- 

 haps in part in reforesting those parts of the tract that are better 

 suited for forest growth than for anything else, and in their fire pro- 

 tection, but those lands hardly worth paying taxes on are deeded to 

 some State institution to which after some years they will be of great 

 value, while in the meantime they are kept off delinquent tax rolls. 



Another part of this fortune is employed in permanent improvements^ 

 roads and railroads, and in buildings which are a permanent addition to 

 the beauty of the State as well as a memorial of the man who reared 

 them. Another part goes on starting industries and providing educa- 

 tion which will open fields of valuable employment and keep alive the 

 town where the fortune is made when lumbering ceases to be the all 

 sustaining occupation. 



A part may be employed in exploring for coal, developing peat or 

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