The Economic Value of Forests 31 



of sawed or hewn timbers were laid on the ties, 

 and along these a narrow plate or strap of iron 

 was fastened. This was called a " strap rail." To- 

 day steel cars and steel rails are used instead of 

 the wooden ones. Coal takes the place of wood 

 in firing the massive engines. But these modern 

 trains travel over rails that are still supported 

 and held in place by wooden cross ties, for 

 which no satisfactory substitute has been dis- 

 covered. 



From the forests came the wood that built all 

 of the houses in the first towns and cities. Even 

 to-day houses are built in whole or in part of 

 wood. Lumbering, wood-working, pulp-paper 

 making, tanning, and countless other industries 

 are still dependent upon the forest, which gives 

 work to thousands of men and women. 



The value and importance of forests, therefore, 

 was, and still is, very great. Their products are 

 worth many millions of dollars a year. But the 

 forests, which once covered such a large part of 

 our continent, have steadily grown smaller and 

 smaller. When there was a superabundance of 

 woodland little thought was given to its preser- 

 vation. The forests stood in the path of civiliza- 



