REVIEWS 559 



Chapter one is a concise, though comprehensive history of our for- 

 ests and the development of forestry prior to 1878. It discusses such 

 topics as the early settlers and the forests, naval reserves, public in- 

 difference, early conservation sentiment, early interest in timber cul- 

 ture, tree planting by the railroads, the timber culture act, swamp land 

 grants, and the preemption commutation, homestead and desert land 

 laws, also public sale of timber land, railroad land grants, unfavorable 

 legislation applying specifically to timber, and free timber, and the tim- 

 ber and stone acts. This chapter like all others, is replete with foot- 

 note references which add much to the value of the book for reference. 



Chapter two covers the period from 1878 to 1891, a period of whole- 

 sale timber stealing from the national domain. This chapter deals in 

 part with the evil effects of legislation enacted in the previous period 

 and lax enforcement of the forest laws, the feeble efforts to protect 

 the public timber, indirect encouragement of timber stealing and the 

 increasing difficulties in the way of timber protection. A careful study 

 of this chapter forces the conclusion that the utter disregard for the 

 forests on the public domain, their reckless exploitation through fraud 

 and their destruction by fire had not a little to do in stimulating public 

 sentiment for national forest reserves, this sentiment finally culminat- 

 ing at the end of the period in the forest reserve act which is justly 

 considered the greatest piece of constructive forest legislation in our 

 entire history. 



The following seven chapters deal for the most part with the acquire- 

 ment and development of the National Forests and with the increased 

 influence of the National Forest Service. The early hostility toward the 

 National Forests is discussed at length and special emphasis is given to 

 the "golden era" of forest conservation activity which begun in 1897. 

 Emphasis is placed upon favorable results following from the transfer 

 of the National Forests to the Department of Agriculture. It is but 

 natural that antagonism should develop from withdrawing so much of 

 the public domain from settlement for the creation of National Forests. 

 This antagonism gradually developed into intense anti-conservation 

 activity in the West and in the national Congress, which culminated in 

 the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy in the Taft administration. This 

 entire matter which is of so much interest to American foresters is 

 presented in a most thorough and admirable manner. From the study 

 of these chapters it is easy to appreciate the disasters that might have 

 overtaken our National Forests were our public officials in charge of 

 them less resolute and determined. 



