NEWS AND NOTES 



445 



composed is brought to its fullest efficiency, 

 not only for the present, but for the future. 

 When you pass the idea of immediate use, 

 regardless of consequences, and accept the 

 doctrine of foresight, you come to the 'moral' 

 aspect of forestry. That moral feature is 

 the one on which Theodore Roosevelt said 

 his whole administration was based — the as- 

 suring of equality of opportunity. With the 

 forester it means that the man in the streets, 

 the everyday American, shall get an equal 

 share in that particular natural resource of 

 his country." — American Culth'ator. Boston, 

 Mass. 



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Saving the Big Trees 



Under the above heading, the Lubcc (Me.) 

 Herald says : 



"One of the commendable acts of Con- 

 gress was the passage of the Calaveras big- 

 tree National Forest bill. The Calaveras 

 grove is one of several in California that 

 contain some of the largest and most re- 

 markable tres in the world. A giant red- 

 wood would be dwarfed among these trees. 

 They should be regarded as a splendid treas- 

 ure "for the entire country, and all of them 

 should be preserved and guarded with the 

 greatest care. 



"There were some doubts about the right 

 of the Government to make the purchase, 

 but fortunately they were dispelled or had 

 no effect except upon overcautious minds. 

 The result is that everything that can be 

 done will be done to protect the trees. 

 There is no longer any danger that they 

 may be cut down and so'd for lumber; the 

 Forestry Service will see that they are not 

 injured by man and will take every precau- 

 tion to save them from destruction by fire." 



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A New Pest 



The Peoria (111.) Star says: 



"Forty years ago a beetle was imported 

 from South America and made its appear- 

 ance in Baltimore. It attacked the foliage on 

 the elm tree. Little by little, it has become a 

 pest, and it has been slowly making its way 

 westward. It has now appeared in the 

 eastern counties in Indiana. The state en- 

 tomologist of that commonwealth calls the 

 attention of the public to the fact, and says 

 that if the beetle is allowed to continue its 

 work uninterruptedly, it will destroy all the 

 elm trees of the state, and as these are 

 the choicest shade trees we possess, it is 

 highly incumbent upon us to look out for 

 this new enemy. What with the timber 

 thieves destroying the forests, the lumber 

 ring controlling the wood-pulp output, and 

 the bugs eating up our shade trees, our 

 forests are in a bad way." 



Michigan Forest Fires 



Press dispatches of May 27 reported forest 

 fires raging in the vicinity of Negaunee, 

 i\Iich.. resulting in the complete destruction 

 of the town of Dalton. A special train took 

 the people of the place to safety. Many 

 fishing parties in the woods were in danger. 

 There had been no rain in the vicinity for 

 weeks. 



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Pursuing Timber Thieves in Michigan 



Under Land Commissioner Russell and his 

 men, firms of the upper section of the state 

 who have been robbing state tax lands of 

 timber with impunity are being brought up 

 with a sharp turn and in many counties tres- 

 pass on state lands to steal timber is sud- 

 denly becoming decidedly unpopular. 



For one thing, the department has made a 

 radical change in the manner of seeking 

 trespassers and prosecuting them for their 

 thievery. Since January this year, when 

 Commissioner Russell assumed direction of 

 the land department, ninety-eight cases of 

 trespass have been investigated, which is a 

 record unequaled for many years, it is said 

 The department has done away with the old 

 plan of engaging as trespass agents local 

 men, who either might be robbing the state 

 themselves or who might be allowing their 

 friends and neighbors to take the timber. 



He has four general trespass agents out 

 looking after timber thieves, and five ex- 

 aminers who are assisting in the work. 

 ***** 



The policy of the department is said to 

 be to enforce the statute regarding trespass 

 and comparatively few adjustments are made. 

 From the cases disposed of the state has 

 received $1,790.04, and with other cases pend- 

 ing the amount will run to at least $2,200.84, 

 received since January. From the reports 

 of trespass agents it is shown that 429771 

 feet of timber. 10.000 posts, 5^085 ties, and 

 several hundred poles and mining props have 

 been taken, which causes one to wonder 

 how much was taken when the trespass 

 agents were not so active. _ 



A large portion of this stolen timber has 

 been seized, the state mark placed thereon, 

 and is held pending the settlement of the 

 cases. Much of it will revert to the state 

 and will net several thousand dollars in 

 addition to what has been secured. 



Of the twenty-two criminal cases started 

 fourteen are now pending in circuit court, 

 eight have been convicted, three are await- 

 ing sentence, three have paid fines, and two 

 are serving sentences, not a case having been 

 lost so far.— (7/-fl«rf Rapids (Mich.) Press. 



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Forest Work in Virginia 



Gov. Claude A. Swanson, of Virginia, ij 

 seeking to promote Forestry in the Old 

 Dominion. In a letter dated June 3 to IMr. 



