FORESTRY. 445 
In order to be able to refute such mistatments utterly, I have here 
minutes of the exact location where young pines in excellent condi- 
tion for timber grown may be seen, and right by may be seen burnt 
land cut the same year that could not be put inacondition as prom- 
ising for timber for less than twenty dollars an acre. In fact,so 
favorable a soiJ, mulch and shade can hardly be made at once on 
that burnt land for any price. Several such acres on 16—56—22 
were staked off and the trees counted; on one from which 32 million 
ft. had been cut three years before, were thirty-two thrifty sapling — 
white pine, 8 to 11 inches in diameter and 30 to 80 feet high; ten 
poplar 8 to 14 inches in diameter and 60 feet high; 1,600 poplar sprouts 
¥% to linch in diameter and 5 to 12 feet high; a light underbrush of 
hazel and vine maple; and under all this were 1,267 little white pine 
seedlings two years old and 4to 8 incheshigh. Another acre on the 
same section has 200 trees of white and Norway pine averag- 
ing 8 inches in diameter and 45 feet high. Are not these worth saving? 
Many thousand acres of just such trees have been burned on land 
that is not in demand for farming at any price. Should such trees 
be saved? No one dare say not. 
On account of the fires and conditions unfavorable to tillage, 
much of such land has no market value. Just what it would have 
if safe from fire is a subject that should have careful study. 
The fires also damage property having a present market value, 
such as standing and other log-timber, camps, camp equipage and 
live stock, mills located in the woods and lumber, besides the 
homes and lives of our fellow men. Excepting the latter, there is no 
loss that compares with the prevention of the future growth of the 
forest withits products and its beneficent influences. There may 
be many who have some doubts as to what the favorable influences 
of the forest are. Here area few that are reasonably certain: 
1. Aiding the damp northeast winds in their conflict with the 
parching winds from the southwest. 
Preventing deep freezing of the soil. 
Catching snow by checking the wind during blizzards. 
Holding snow in spring by their shade. 
Preventing erosion of the soil. 
Giving out moisture into the air. 
By their moisture, their coolness and their resistance to winds, 
promoting rain fall. 
8. By promoting fogs, often preventing frosts. 
9. Protecting against the cold winds of winter and the hot winds 
of summer. 
10. Promoting health by purifying the air and the water. (Here let 
me say that in the regions burned last season we already have pre- 
monitions of fevers, and there are many cases of sickening by the 
use of water leached through ashes and deprived of shade and 
growing plants). 
ll. Regulating water flow. (If the rains next spring be as heavy 
as last, we may note a much higher stage of water; for the large 
denuded areas will shed their waters quickly). 
NOP WD 
