FORESTRY. 153 



of the Roman legend of the sibylline books. Whatever defects the Pad- 

 dock bill may have it is good, doubtless the best we can now expect, and 

 should be heartily supported. 



The work your Minnesota Forestry Association is doing deserves high 

 commendation. I beg to express my appreciation of it. 



DESTRUCTIVE AGENCIES ALIKE APPLICABLE TO MINNE- 

 SOTA. 



COL. E. T. ENSIGK, COLORADO SPRINGS, COL. 



1. Fire.— In nearly all operations for the utilization of forest products 

 a mass of combustible material is left behind, and then the careless use of 

 fire in a dry period kindles a disastrous conflagration. All ordinary 

 demands upon the forest, even with the wasteful methods in vogue, might 

 be met if destruction by fire could be avoided. 



2. Railway Construction. — Railway building in the Rocky Mountain 

 region, especially in Colorado, is increasing in such rapid proportion as to 

 offer a most serious menace to the existence of the forests. After the tie- 

 chopping legion come settlers, miners, lumbermen, charcoal burners and 

 others, all of whom in addition to the havoc wrought by themselves pre- 

 pare the way for that most dreaded of all enemies, flre. The demand of 

 the railways for cross-ties, timber and dimension lumber causes the most 

 serious drain upon the forest. For ties, only the young, partly grown and 

 most vigorous trees are used; the consumption for that purpose alone is 

 enormous. The timber so obtained, as compared with other available 

 material; is inferior in quality. Cedar and oak ties from the southern 

 lake and Pacific forests can be delivered in Colorado at a cost not exceed- 

 ing one-third more than the native pine ties; the former are in every way 

 superior, and their period of usefulness is at least double that of the lat- 

 ter. Therefore, no hardship would be imposed in requiring railways to 

 draw upon others than the mountain region for their timber supplies. 



3. Lumbering. — The erection and operation of saw mills to supply 

 local and ordinary demands for lumber would not be specially objection- 

 able if the business could be conducted under proper regulations and 

 restrictions. Under existing laws, however, most flagrant abuses are per- 

 petrated, and the forests suffer great and unnecessary loss. 



4. Mining Operations. — The requirements of the mining industries 

 .(including coal mining) are great and rapidly increasing. The timbering 

 of mines, construction of shaft-houses, smelters, dwellings and other 

 necessary buildings call for a liberal use of timber. In some of the older 

 mining districts the timber supply has been exhausted, and such material 

 is brought from a distance at undue cost to the consumer. 



5. Charcoal Manufacture. — This, in certain localities, is a very de- 

 structive agency. The charcoal burner is as merciless as the hand of fate; 

 he spares not the smallest and most insignificant forest growth, if noth- 

 ing better is within his reach. The industry is fostered by the require- 

 ments of smelters, which consume great quantities of charcoal in the 

 reduction of ores. The use of charcoal for this purpose is not imperative. 

 Under certain processes charcoal is a cheaper fuel than mineral coal or 

 coke. At some of the principal works but little, if any, charcoal is used. 



