76 Conservation of Natural Resources in California. 



have to strike her tents. If we of the United States were called upon 

 to replace at even Italy's figure the trees now growing on the water- 

 sheds protected by our reserves, we should have to spend about three 

 billion dollars ! 



Only a few years ago the forest was our enemy here in America. 

 Eve^ step of the way must be cleared by the pioneer's axe and guarded 

 by his rifle. A tree was a foe to be got rid of as expeditiously as 

 possible. To ingrained and inherited hostility succeeded indifference, 

 which is but just beginning to yield ground to a more enlightened senti- 

 ment. This enlightened sentiment further encounters determined and 

 unscrupulous opposition from the land-grabbers, the lumber stealers, 

 the candidate for free grazing, and all the rest of the various pirates 

 and parasites that prey upon and cling to the rich spoils of our public 

 domain. 



A CONTINENT DESPOILED. 



Rudolf Cronau is a well-known artist and writer, of German ancestry. 

 Under the above title he has written a vivid article in the American 

 Magazine for April, 1909, with the following introduction: 



On my writing-desk lies a pile of photographs, some taken with my 

 own camera, some obtained from friends or through the courtesy of the 

 United States Forest Service and the Geological Survey. Besides, there 

 are maps and papers covered with statistic figures. 



If you look over this collection, you will be struck with horror, for 

 these views disclose scenes so repulsive, that, if they were not photo- 

 graphs, you would believe them products of the sickly brain of some 

 artist like the famous . Belgian painter Wuerz, or the Russian Were- 

 schagin, who, with cruel pleasure, indulged in portraying only the most 

 unpleasant and disgusting scenes of this world. 



Let us take up a few of these photographs. 



Here we have the gloomy view of a forest destroyed by fire. As far 

 as the eye can penetrate the picture, you see hundreds and thousands 

 of straight black trunks, pointing as so many big needles toward heaven. 

 There is not a limb left on one of the trees. Every branch is eaten 

 away. And not a living thing is seen in this dreadful wilderness, nor 

 will anything flourish there for years to come. 



This second picture discloses another scene of devastation ; a primeval 

 forest as it was left by lumbermen after they had taken out the choice 

 timber. What reckless barbarians these men have been! Everywhere 

 we see the unmistakable evidences of frightful waste. The ground is 



