Minnesota's greatest opportunity in forestry. 267 



under the immediate control of some one who understands why the 

 fires should be kept out. Such a system cannot be applied economi- 

 carry to small scattered tracts, and under the provisions of the state 

 forest reserve law only small and widely scattered tracts are apt to 

 be turned over to the state for forestry purposes. Here is a funda- 

 mental difficulty which is destined to give the state forestry board 

 much trouble. 



An efficient fire patrol, under a financially practical system of 

 forest management, is only possible when the area to be protected 

 is sufficiently large and well defined to be economically adminis- 

 tered. For the state to acquire title to such tracts would involve an 

 expense and delay which experience would show to be very great. 

 Yet it must be repeated that reasonably large areas are necessary if 

 any rational work in reforesting of a permanent character is to be 

 done, because of the fundamental importance of protecting the 

 young growth from fires cheaply. 



And now to return to the reservations. In the proper dis- 

 position of these lands lies the key to Minnesota's great opportunity. 

 The magnitude and diversity of the interests involved, greed and 

 the lack of clear understanding of the question in its true bearings 

 have caused much fruitless discussion. The question as to what 

 lands can properly be classed as agricultural will never be settled 

 to the satisfaction of all. Time and experience, sometimes bitter, 

 will decide. But it is safe to say that the hardwood lands will 

 make permanent agricultural soil, and that Norway pine ridges will 

 not prove of any lasting fertility. Of the 611,592 acres of land 

 •surface within these reserves 125,000 acres approximately is now 

 owned by the Indians in personal allotments. 100,000 acres ap- 

 proximately is under the terms of the law classified as pine lands. 

 As such lands must have but 10,000 feet per 40 acres of standing 

 pine, it follows that nearly all the pine must be embraced within 

 these 100,000 acres. This leaves approximately 385,000 of land 

 which is either hardwood, brush land or swamp. This may in rea- 

 son be supposed to contain the bulk of the land within the reserva- 

 tion which is fit for agriculture. 



In fairness to all interests the situation seems to demand : 



1. The preservation intact of the pine on the fractions of 

 40's bordering the shores of the large lakes or wherever the aesthetic 

 value of the pine is so great as to fairly offset its commercial value, 

 when the interests of the whole community are considered. 



2. The opening of the reservation to settlement. 



3. The exclusion from settlement of the 100.000 acres known 



