14 



FORESTRY DIVISION. 



The Forestry Division, under the energetic leadership of Dr. Roth- 

 rock, has, within but little more than two years, taken a position well 

 towards the front of all slates which have by legislative action shown 

 an interest in matters relating to forestry, and, if the balance sheet 

 is to be made up from laws actually upon the statute books, it is a 

 question whether Pennsylvania does not occupy the foremost position 

 in all questions which relate to the preservation of her forests and the 

 reforesiration of her cleared lands. 



When this division was created, it had entirely new ground to ope- 

 rate upon, as the citizens of our State had not had the subject of fores- 

 try brought before them except in a spasmodic manner, by which but 

 little real good was accomplished. Many had the idea that any move 

 in the interest of the preservation of our forests or for the reforestra- 

 tion of denuded areas must necessarily conflict with the pecuniary 

 interests of the owners of these areas, and that the systematic preser- 

 vation of our forests meant the prohibition of the cutting of timber by 

 their rightful owners. 



Commencing thus upon really negative ground, Dr. Rothrock has 

 changed this view not only among the owners of timber lands, but also 

 among members of our Legislature until it is generally understood 

 that the interests of the State as to forests need not in any manner 

 conflict with the interests of the owners. It is a conspicuous fact that 

 thus far, in the already large collection of laws relating, directly or 

 indirectly, to the interests of forestry, there is not a single provision to 

 be found which is not in the interest of the forest, owners as well as 

 the State. It is true that at first glance it may seem that some of the 

 provisions of laws enacted by the last Legislature appear to react 

 against the interests of the owner, but a careful examination and the 

 results of the future, will clearly show that this is not the case. 



Recognizing the fact that the greatest enemy to reforestation has 

 been the forest fire, the Department has used its best efforts to edu- 

 cate the people up to a true understanding of the question, and to 

 sho\v them that the theory that railroads are the main causes of these 

 losses is not correct, but flint careless hunters, boys and similar pre- 

 ventable causes, create more loss than do locomotives and all other 

 causes combined. 



Two acts bearing directly upon this phase of the question were made 

 law* during the SM^WJI of 1897. Ojw makes it the duty of constables 

 to act as ftre-wardefrfl* aiMlvfJie^rVief' increases (he responsibility of 

 county commiqfl* (ttfe^ijutbe; same direction, and it is believed that, 

 coupled with a'hearfhV'aVid'cmTP^/i^ubJi'c sentiment, that both of these 

 measures will decrease our annual losses from forest fires. 



