THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 121 



Throughout the country miUions of acres of pub- 

 he land of far greater value for forest production than 

 for agriculture or mining have been allowed to pass 

 into private ownership. No particular blame attaches 

 to the landowners and lumbermen for proceeding to 

 realize as soon as possible all that they could from such 

 lands. Popular opinion, for the most part, has looked 

 on forests in much the same light as mines — as natural 

 resource which should be turned into cold cash as rap- 

 idly as possible. 



So it is not to be wondered at that cutting proceeded 

 feverishly, with a reckless disregard for the future. 

 Timber was forced upon the market ahead of any real 

 demand for it, and the forest capital of the country was 

 rapidly depleted. Money circulated freely, but only a 

 comparatively few got rich, and the pubHc as a whole 

 suffered seriously. Permanent industries and perman- 

 ent homes were made impossible, and deserted villages 

 have marked the trail of the industry. 



Today we know better. We know that the wel- 

 fare of the nation demands that a forest should not be 

 treated as a mine, but should be so handled as to make 

 it possible to cut the same amount of timber year after 

 year from any given area. We know, too, that for the 

 long-time investment which such management involves, 

 public rather than private ownership will have to be 

 relied on. 



The work of reconstruction which the State of 

 Pennsylvania is now undertaking at Cross Fork points 

 the wav to what can be done under similar conditions 



