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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



of forestry, and who has recognized the fact by appointing 

 as his deputy a former secretary, the only one whose work 

 was worthy of commendation. It is probable that under 

 this management the Forestry Department in Indiana will 

 make a reasonably good showing in the next four years. 



But the real question is not settled. The state is no 

 further ahead than it was in 1908 when this same acting 

 secretarj' was appointed — only to be replaced in 1912 for 

 purely political reasons. 



Only one plan has ever stood the test of time and ex- 



perience, in state forest organization, during the 20 years 

 or more since the movement started — and that is the crea- 

 tion of an independent forestry board entrusted with the 

 direction of state forestry affairs, empowered to appoint the 

 state forester , and required by law to secure a trained man. 

 Until Indiana comes to recognize this principle the state 

 may look forward to future setbacks and upheavals and to 

 an indefinite postponement of the solution of several great 

 economic questions in forestry whose urgency will become 

 more evident with eveiy^ year. 



THE NEED OF SMITH-LEVER EXTENSION WORK IN FORESTRY 



THE American Forestry Association has already called 

 attention to the opportunity given to the various 

 states, under the terms of the Smith-Lever law, to 

 proxade extension work in forestry among the owners of 

 farm woodlots. So far this field has been almost entirely 

 neglected. The states are rapidly building up their agri- 

 cultural field forces, consisting of county agents, and are 

 expending sums ranging around $50,000, which are dupli- 

 cated by the Smith-Lever law from the national treasiuy — 

 yet, with one or two exceptions, not one cent of this fund is 

 being used to instruct the farmers in the proper care and 

 development of the woodlot. This cannot be due to the lack 

 of recognition of the value of the woodlot, windbreak and 

 shelter belt on the farm — for as far back as 1876 Minnesota 

 founded a state forestry association to encourage the plant- 

 ing of trees on prairie farms. Its only adequate explanation 

 is the lack of proper organization or aggressiveness on the 

 part of the state educational forces which are responsible 

 for the spread of forestry information. Where no forest 



school exists, the agricultural leaders, following the lines of 

 greatest interest or least resistance, simply develop their 

 own work and forestry goes by the board. Where forestry 

 is taught, especially at the state agricultural colleges, it 

 should be possible to arouse the interest of those who must 

 pass upon the expediency of providing extension work in 

 this line. Yet in many instances this has not been done. 



There is only one method which promises any degree of 

 success, and that is the employment of a specialist, a for- 

 ester, to devote his time to the state woodlot problem. 

 County agricultural agents may be relied on to speak a 

 good word for forestry as occasion permits — but never to 

 give it the attention and skilled guidance which it demands. 



Every state should without further delay make suitable 

 provision for the employment under the Smith-Lever law 

 of a specialist on woodlots. Considering the urgency of the 

 need for this work, and the wonderful opportunity pre- 

 sented by this law, it is simjily astonishing that this has not 

 alreadv been done. 



A GREAT FORWARD STEP BY MINNESOTA 



THE state of Minnesota has set aside for state forests 

 an area of over 300,000 acres of state lands. This 

 tract is composed of scattered sections and "forties" 

 of land, a part of a much greater area of similar character 

 lying in northeastern Minnesota. The National Govern- 

 ment had previously set aside over a million acres in this 

 region as a National Forest. 



Northeastern Minnesota, in the northern lialf of Lake 

 and Cook Counties, is a granitic area of outcrojjping rock 

 ledges, shallow soils and innumerable lakes and water 

 courses. It is the southern extension of a similar great 

 area in Canada. This region is filled with moose and deer, 

 which thrive under the dual protection afforded by the 

 lack of wagon roads or railroads in the hunting season and 

 the establishment of a game preserve or refuge by the state. 

 Fire has caused great havoc, but there still remains much 

 beautiful pine, spruce and cedar along the lake shores. If 

 the region can be protected from fires and the lake shores 

 preserved in their natural state, this portion of northern 

 Minnesota is destined, within a few years, to become the 

 greatest pubUc playground in the middle West, rivalling 

 Maine in attractiveness, cUmate, and accessibility. 



In setting aside these state lands to be administered as 

 state forests, Minnesota has insured the fullest protection 

 and development of the recreational features of the region, 

 and has rendered an inestimable public service to the entire 

 country, but especially to the Mississippi Valley. This 

 legislation is the first result of the constitutional amend- 

 ment passed in 1914, by popular vote, which gave the state 

 legislature the power to classify state-owned lands as agri- 

 cultural or forest land. This victory for sound economics, 

 a wonderful demonstration of the progress of popular edu- 

 cation in forestry, was deeply resented by the speculators 

 in cheap lands, to whom all lands have a possible sale value, 

 whether they are in reality agricultural or not. Opposition 

 arose in the legislature, the first fruits of which were the 

 crijipHng of the State Forest Service by reducing its appro- 

 priation. Then followed the attempt in the legislature of 

 19 16-' 17 to destroy the independence and integrity of the 

 State Forest Service altogether, under color of fusing it with 

 lands and immigration in the proposed Public Domain bill. 



Not only was this entire bill defeated, largely as a 

 result of this attack upon a department which was unself- 

 ishly working for the preservation of Minnesota's great 



