The Problem of Forestry. 



27 



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burning, careless campers, lightning, in- 

 cendiarism, all contributed. The great fires 

 of Idaho occurred August 20. There were 

 then many fires burning in the mountains. 

 Nearly all were under control, that is, they 

 were trenched, and a force of men were 

 guarding them and preventing their speed. 



With reasonably calm weather, all would 

 have been extinguished before long, but sud- 

 denly a terrific hurricane arose, which last- 

 ed practically a day. So strong was it that 

 men were unseated from their saddles. 

 Whole areas of forest were absolutely flat- 

 tened. Men were killed by falling trees in 

 front of the fires. Every smouldering fire 

 was fanned into a conflagration. Sparks 

 were blown miles ahead of the fires. The 

 flames rushed through the crowns of the 

 trees with a fury which was appalling. 

 Within a day there was a fire a hundred 

 miles long. Seventy six fire fighters had 

 been killed, and, if it had not been for the 

 skill and nerve of the rangers, many more 

 would have been lost. For a few days all 

 work was devoted to rescue, and then the 

 fight on the fires was resumed. It was a 

 noble fight and the nation should be proud 

 of the forest officers who toiled day and 

 night, again and again risking their lives 

 to save the forests and the towns which were 

 imperilled. 



This is the first instance of an organized 

 attempt to fight such great fires. It cost 

 a million dollars, but there was saved pro- 

 perty aggregating certainly over one hun- 

 dred million, if not two or three times 

 that. 



The experience clearly demonstrated the 

 fact that fires can be controlled when the 

 forests are properly developed and manned 

 by an adequate force of men, for where 

 these conditions existed the fires were sub- 

 dued promptly and with little loss. The 

 great and disastrous fires occurred where the 

 forests were without means of transporta- 

 tion and communication and without ade- 

 quate patrol. The lesson is also taught that 

 money must be spent by the government 

 on construction of roads, trails, telephone 

 lines, and other equipment of the forests; 

 and there must be more men for patrol. 

 It will take time to develop this vast wil- 

 derness for full protection, but the work 

 should progress faster than in the past. 

 European forests are safe becauFe of this 

 kind of development. Tt has taken many 

 jears to perfect the organization. We can 

 make our forests equally safe, but it will 

 require large expenditures for development 

 in improvement. This I believe the people 

 shouhi be willing to expend. 



Forestry on Other Lands. 



But the government owns only a small 

 portion of the total forest area of the coun- 

 try, and very little in the East. Most of 

 the forests now furnishing the lumber used 

 in the country are privately owned. The 



government forests aro as yet not being 

 cut to a large extent. They are the most 

 remote, and in many cases the least valuable 

 forests. They have not yet been reached 

 for the market. Four fifths of the mer- 

 chantable timber is in private ownership. 

 A few owners are practicing forestry, but 

 only a few of the larger holdings are han- 

 dled with a view to the continuous produc- 

 tion of timber. It is probable that less 

 than two per cent of the lumber on the 

 market today has been put under the prin- 

 ciples of forestry. 



We have, then, the great task not only 

 to perfect the management of the national 

 forests, but to introduce forestry on the 

 lands not publicly owned. To accomplish 

 this requires the combined efforts of the 

 government, the states and private owners. 

 A number of states have purchased land 

 for forest reserves. But in the aggregate 

 the area is small. These reserves should 

 be greatly extended. On private lands the 

 first task is fire protection. Private owners 

 now hesitate to invest money in forestry 

 because of the fire risk and because also 

 they fear that the possible profits will be 

 eaten up in the taxes now imposed on grow- 

 ing timber. They should be helped in re- 

 moving these obstacles to forestry. The 

 states have a duty to introduce a system 

 of taxation which will not prevent forestry. 

 The states have the duty to directly aid 

 private owners in fire protection. There 

 should be a thoroughly organized fire-pro- 

 tective service supported by the states. This 

 will involve a considerable annual outlay 

 and the burden will be on the public. But 

 the benefits from forestry are chiefly de- 

 rived by the public. The single individual 

 is unwilling and often unable to invest 

 money primarily to secure a general public 

 benefit. I regard this as the first duty of 

 the states in forestry. It is certain that 

 forest laws, no matter how perfect in them- 

 selves, will not be effective unless they carry 

 ample appropriations to enable organized 

 practical forestry. 



The country has accepted the principles 

 of forestry. It now demands practical re- 

 sults. We can produce the results if the 

 country will meet the necessary cost. Prus- 

 sia H{)ends .$2 an acre on its public forests. 

 We spend 2 cents an acre on ours. It is not 

 unreasonable to expect an increased na- 

 tional expenditure. Many of our states 

 spend nothing on forestry. If those for- 

 ests outside the public domain are to be 

 protected and the public is to receive the 

 benefits derived from such protection, the 

 states must assume their responsibilities and 

 carry their share of the burden. — The Bul- 

 letin of the Geographical Society of Phila- 

 delphia. 



[While Mr. Graves ^s remarks apply par- 

 ticularly to the United States, there is also 

 much food for reflection for Canadians. — 

 Ei). I 



