459 
cases have been repealed and in a considerable number of other cases de- 
clared unconstitutional. Such laws ‘have had some slight educational 
value, but they have led neither to the planting nor to the preservation of 
forests.’ 
Laws falling under the second group, on the contrary, seem to have 
greatly advanced the cause of forestry. This has been done mainly by 
gathering information, cooperating with private land owners and giving 
advice concerning the care of private holdings and tree plantings. In many 
states, state forests have been established and these have in every in- 
stance proved of high value. To quote directly from Mr. Cleveland.’ 
“These State forests represent a line of state action which has been pre- 
eminently successful. New York leads the list in State forest area (1,611,- 
817 acres), followed by Pennsylvania (863,000), and Wisconsin (253,573 
acres.) The smaller attempts of Minnesota, Michigan, Connecticut, Mas- 
sachusetts, New Jersey, Indiana, ete., are all important. The State forests 
speak for themselves. First, they furnish cbject lessons of great value; 
second, they ferm the nucleus of what some day must be the principal 
center of state forest work. It is a fundamentally sound policy for the 
State to own land, especially land which does not offer the conditions 
necessary for prosperous settlement.” 
Under existing conditions in our own state, the most important and 
immediate duty is 2n exiension of knowledge concerning the significance 
of existing timbered areas in their relation te the future of the forests and 
of the wood working industries; of their value as investments; of meth- 
ods of management and utilization which will secure the maximum revenue 
without deterioration of the stand; of the importance of reinforcing nat- 
ural seed regeneration and of a more general practice of wisely considered 
afforestation methods. The most casual inspection of the present timbered 
areas would prove sufficient to convince the most skeptical of the impor- 
tance of intelligent and persistent effort along the lines indicated. If, in 
addition, we consider the large area of land at present utterly unproduc- 
tive, areas which are increasing in extent each year, some wisely planned 
and judiciously applied remedial measures seem absolutely imperative. 
The Academy of Science could de much as a body and through the efforts 
of its members to aid in this work. The problem is sufficiently acute to 
44nd 5 Status of Forestry in the United States. Forest Service Circular 167, Sep- 
tember, 1909, p. 21. 
