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restoration, the most expensive, and is not likely to be resorted to ex- 

 tensivety in this country for years to come. Indeed, there is small 

 reason why it should be. With us the first step toward forest restora- 

 tion, after suppression of fires, is to see that in lumbering, enough of 

 seed trees are allowed to remain to restock the ground. It is not true 

 entirely, or even to any great extent, that the soil refuses to reproduce 

 a crop of the same kind of trees as those w T hich have been cut onT The 

 fact is, it seldom gets the chance to do so, because seed trees are not 

 often left. There is no more reason to expect a perpetual succession 

 of white pine on the same soil, without seed, than there is to look for a 

 perpetual succession of corn on the same field without seed. 



There may be a slight advantage given to some fresh kind of tree 

 because of the long previous growth of another kind, but this advant- 

 age is hardly marked enough to interfere with the desired crop if an 

 abundant supply of seed is furnished. There are numberless in- 

 stances over the State in which the abundant second growth of the 

 same species of tree can now be seen. Of course this statement needs 

 the modification which follows. When the physical conditions which 

 once existed, and favored a given species of tree, have been changed 

 by its removal, then some other species may have an advantage. For 

 example, young hemlocks and white pines are extremely sensitive to 

 an intense heat of the sun, and often wilt down under it and die. In 

 the absence of shade a chestnut growth might succeed where the pines 

 or hemlocks would die. But it must be remembered that when our 

 forests are cleared a fire promptly runs through the "slashings," and 

 destroys the undergrowth and the moisture-retaining bed of leaves, 

 which othewise would have protected these young pines and hemlocks. 

 Our own lack of foresight has given an unnatural advantage to the 

 chestnuts, oaks, etc. On the other hand I can now show northern, 

 shady exposures where the spontaneous growth of white pine and 

 hemlock is surprising. These are all questions for "up to date" county 

 officials to consider. 



It may be well to give some facts showing that forests can be made 

 a source of revenue. These quoted are from the official reports of Ger- 

 many, and may be wholly relied upon. From the Dukedom of Olden- 

 burg we have, for the financial years from 1886-7 to 1895-6, as follows: 



