STATE FORESTS AS BIRD SANCTUARIES 



^21 



subject would require much more time 

 and space than can be allotted to an 

 article of this nature. In a general 

 way most people will agree that such a 

 splendid bird as our New England 

 ruffed grouse, or partridge, should by 

 some means be assured perpetuation in 

 goodly numbers in our forests. With- 

 out doubt this and other game birds 

 would profit largely by the destruction 

 of predatory animals and other measures 

 for the protection of the other birds. 

 The question then naturally arises, 

 should shooting of game birds be allowed 

 on these forests ? It is one perhaps which 

 we are not yet quite ready to decide. 



In her large Forest Preserve, New 

 York allows the taking of game under 

 practically the same regtilations as else- 

 where in the State. Pennsylvania has 

 marked off inviolable sanctuaries in the 

 middle of many of her forests, and the 

 overflow of game from these protected 

 areas is said to be large. At a time 

 when the posting of both public and 

 private lands against shooting by the 

 public is proceeding at a rapid rate, and 

 many sportsmen are complaining bitterly 

 because of that fact, it behooves us to 



consider the future of the recreation of 

 hunting for the average man. One 

 means of assuring him the opportunity 

 for healthful sport in the future is to 

 make State forests public game pre- 

 serves. Under game preserving meth- 

 ods. State forest lands could probably 

 be made to produce a large head of 

 game annually, and a certain amount of 

 carefully restricted shooting in them 

 would not decrease the breeding stock 

 from year to year, and would be in 

 no way inconsistent with the complete 

 protection and increase of the non- 

 game birds. Even on the remarkable 

 sanctuary of Baron Von Berlepsch, a 

 certain amount of game shooting is 

 done, without resulting in any progres- 

 sive decrease in the amount of game. 

 Under any such arrangement, however, 

 it is of the utmost importance that the 

 management of the animal life (as well 

 as the vegetable) be kept in competent 

 hands and out of politics, to the end 

 that the killing of game be regulated in 

 such a way as to insure a plentifiil 

 supply at all times, and that the abund- 

 ance of bird life be the primary con- 

 sideration. 



•■From an address at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Forestry Association. 



Receipts from the use of national forest resources were greatest in Arizona last year. 



The State of New York has just published a comprehensive report of its wood-using industries. 



Of the three Pacific coast states, Oregon and Washington far outstrip California in the work 

 done by private owners for forest protection. 



Manufacturers of greenhouses and makers of boxes are getting in touch so that the latter may use 

 for box cleats the cypress waste from the greenhouses. 



The development of quicksilver mines promises to make large demands for cordivood and con- 

 struction timbers on the Tonto national forest, Arizona. 



Dr. C. D. Marsh, of the Federal Bureau of Plant Industry, is delivering a series of illustrated 

 lectures to stockmen in the west on the subject of plants poisonous to stock. 



The Biltmore Forest School, established in 1898 and therefore the oldest forest school in America, 

 has been discontinued. Dr. C. A. Schenck, its director, has returned to his home in Germany. 



Lodgepole pine seed sown broadcast on the snow in southern Idaho last spring germinated when 

 the snow melted, and as many as bO little trees were counted to the square foot. The summer was so 

 dry, however, that most of the plants died, except where sheltered by brush or logs. 



