80 An American Forest Administration. [264 



forest cover be not interrupted and be reproduced as 

 part of it is removed, if we regard the interests 

 which are dependent upon the existence of the forest 

 cover. 



Under such conditions it is quite evident that the 

 community must step in to guard against a destruc- 

 tion of the forest cover. This can be done either by 

 controlling private owners in the use of their prop- 

 erty or by placing such areas under a government 

 administration. 



The first method is not only unsatisfactory and 

 distasteful, but as it means reduction of private gain, 

 unjust; and, hence, except in special cases, the object 

 would be only partially attained. 



We are then driven to consider the second alterna- 

 tive, namely, communal ownership and administra- 

 tion of such areas, which alone insures permanency. 

 In such an administration the primary consideration, 

 it stands to reason, is not the direct profitableness of 

 the management, but the most economical attain- 

 ment of the object for which the administration was 

 undertaken, namely, to insure a continuous forest 

 cover. 



The consideration of the practicability of such 

 forest management then may be confined to a dis- 

 cussion of the administrative features and the possi- 

 bility of securing the object in view, while yet 

 satisfying other demands upon the forest cover. 



There are, in every State in the Union almost, 

 forest areas which an intelligent communal policy 

 would place under communal administration; but 

 there is, perhaps, no part of the country more in 

 need of immediate government action than those 



