176 North American Forests and Forestry 



county. Suppose the authorities engaged a com- 

 petent superintendent, who would make roads and 

 foot-paths, put up benches and other resting-places 

 in the appropriate spots, and in other ways improve 

 the tract for the benefit of the public. Would not 

 such a measure add immensely to the attractions 

 of the summer resort, and would it not easily out- 

 strip all its competitors that lacked these accessible 

 woods ? But the expense, you say. Why, if the 

 management were at all competent there would be 

 no expense. The money to purchase the land 

 would be borrowed, and thereafter the annual in- 

 come from the forest, under proper silvicultural 

 treatment, ought to be enough to pay running ex- 

 penses, interest, and successive small instalments 

 to repay the principal. If the public authorities 

 did not care to undertake the burden, it would be 

 almost as well if an association were formed for the 

 same purpose. There could be no objection to a 

 small toll being charged to vehicles entering the 

 tract, and that would aid materially in defraying 

 the cost. Such associations hold considerable 

 tracts of forest land in the Adirondacks and other 

 parts of the East, and cannot but be considered a 

 benefit to the whole public, even where they are 

 primarily organized for the pleasure of their own 

 members. 



Another branch of this subject deserves consid- 

 eration. The tendency among the well-to-do all 

 over the country now is to maintain their own pri- 

 vate summer residences instead of spending their 



