174 North American Forests and Forestry 



a few small towns and villages in various parts of 

 the country could be named which are absolutely 

 dependent for their prosperity upon their reputation 

 as " summer resorts." Notwithstanding this fact, 

 and the constantly greater importance which the 

 tourist and summer-resident business assumes, very 

 little is done by the people who desire to derive the 

 pecuniary benefit from it to make their localities 

 more attractive. This is particularly true about 

 the western resorts. The idea of a summer resort 

 entertained by the average inhabitant of these 

 places is a lake, a lot of boats and fishing-tackle, 

 and a hotel, possibly a few cottages standing in the 

 midst of an unkempt lawn with a few trees scattered 

 over it. Of course, this is all very well as far as it 

 goes, but what a mass of unused opportunities there 

 is here ! All over the Northwestern States, as well 

 as in many other sections of the country, there are 

 thousands of inland lakes lying in a country abound- 

 ing with forests. Not rarely these woods are on 

 hills and ridges unfit for agriculture. They are 

 now in private hands, parcelled out among many 

 small owners who have no use for them except for 

 fire-wood. Being ignorant of the very rudiments 

 of silviculture, these owners allow them to dete- 

 riorate from year to year, till finally they will be 

 nothing but unattractive brushlands. 



The summer residents would gladly enjoy roam- 

 ing through these woods. They are soon tired of 

 the monotonous round from the hotel piazza to the 

 tennis ground, thence into the boat and out on 



