OUR FORESTRY-PROBLEM. 235 



to spread itself over more than three million square miles of territory. 

 In consequence, the necessity, or even desirability, for economical use 

 of our resources can hardly be realized. The necessity of clearing 

 woodlands for agricultural purposes, without a market for the timber, 

 has bred a spirit of wastefulness in regard to that material ; and this 

 has been fed by the seeming inexhaustibility of existing natural sup- 

 plies. The vast expanse of our country, with its endless possibilities 

 and opportunities, has produced a tendency of instability and specula- 

 tion — a tendency inimical to a business whose profits lie so remote as 

 in forestry, and which presupposes a concern in the future conditions 

 and welfare of a given locality. 



Add to this the difficulty, over our vast and sparsely-settled coun- 

 try, of guarding forest property against theft and lire, which invites 

 the owner to cut and realize as fast as possible upon his holdings, and 

 deters him from risking any expense on management ; further, add 

 that, as long as natural supplies can be brought to market from distant 

 regions, and at prices far below the cost of their production — and all 

 financial incentive to apply systematic forestry is wanting. While 

 thus the ruthless slashing of the primeval forests goes on without re- 

 gard to future or consequences, the comparatively insignificant begin- 

 nings of new plantations in the treeless plains can hardly be considered 

 an attempt at compensation. Time, of course, would cure many of 

 these unfavorable conditions ; but meanwhile we are increasing the 

 dangers of deforestation, and are preparing for those who come after 

 us hardships which we could and should avert. How, in spite of the 

 difficulties that oppose a systematic forestry, to insure a continuous 

 and sufficient supply of raw material, and to preserve the favorable 

 conditions which depend on proper forest areas — that is the forestry- 

 problem. 



The means for its solution I may only briefly indicate : they are 

 education, example, encouragement, legislation. Some of these are of 

 slow effect ; others can be made to give results at once. Let the 

 United States Government, which still holds some seventy million 

 acres of the people's land in forests, mostly on the Western mountains, 

 where its preservation is most urgently needed — let the Government 

 set aside these otherwise valueless lands, and manage them as a na- 

 tional forest domain, and then the first effective step, a feasible and 

 not a forcible one, is made. Let the military reservations on the West- 

 ern treeless plains, which are still in the hands of the General Govern- 

 ment, be planted to forests and managed as such ; this would be no 

 doubtful experiment, would interfere with nobody, would enhance the 

 value of the suiTounding country — and education, example, and encour- 

 agement are provided, as far as it is in the legitimate province of the 

 General Government. And such example, instead of costing anything 

 to the country, can be made self-sustaining — nay, productive — and 

 would add appreciably to the people's wealth. 



