FOKESTBY AT HOME. 87 



secured for the reserves the supervision of trained 

 foresters. 



President McKinley and after him President Roose- 

 velt continued to make forest reserves. The latter 

 introduced a system of examining the proposed forest 

 reserves, so that now their boundaries are better 

 located than ever before. Under him great progress 

 has been made by the Government in bringing about 

 the practice of forestry by forest owners and in awak- 

 ening the great lumber interests, as well as the people 

 in general, to the dangers of forest destruction. 



The forest reserves lie chiefly in high mountain 

 regions. They are 62 in number, and cover an area 

 (January 1, 1905) of 63,308,319 acres. They are use- 

 ful first of all to protect the drainage basins of streams 

 used for irrigation, and especially the watersheds of 

 the great irrigation works which the Government is 

 constructing under the reclamation law, which was 

 passed in 1902. This is their most important use. 

 Secondly, they supply grass and other forage for many 

 thousands of grazing animals during the summer, 

 when the lower ranges on the plains and deserts are 

 barren and dry. Lastly, they furnish a permanent 

 supply of wood for the use of settlers, miners, lumber- 

 men, and other citizens. This is at present the least 

 important use of the reserves, but it will be of greater 

 consequence hereafter. The best way for the Govern- 

 ment to promote each of these three great uses is to 

 protect the forest reserves from fire. 



STATE FORESTRY. 



Many of the States have taken great and effective 

 interest in forestry. Among those which have made 



