THE ninth amendment for state forests is not legislative, 

 it is permissive. A careful soil survey is necessary in 

 order to decide what state lands shall be used for state 

 forests. 



On a rough estimate, one-third of the land in question is 

 deforested and barren. One-third is coming up to sapling pine, 

 but the remaining one-third is covered with virgin forests. 



We are Fortunate. 



By the adoption of this amendment, Minnesota is more for- 

 tunate than her sister states. We are not compelled to re- 

 forest large areas and wait for years for returns. We have 

 the forests now and all we have to do is to manage them on 

 a business-like principle in order that they may be perpetu- 

 ated for all times to come. The barren lands, of course, should 

 be reforested and the sooner the better, but this is to be de- 

 cided by the legislature. The legislature must decide whether 

 plans for immediate reforestation shall be undertaken, or 

 whether this should be postponed for future use. The big 

 point to bear in mind is that some of these areas are pro- 

 ductive now and that by their proper management, as pro- 

 vided by this amendment, they will be revenue producing from 

 the beginning and for all times to come. 



Instead of following our old policy of selling these lands to 

 private interests, allowing their deforestation, and permitting 

 the lands then to lie idle, we are adopting, by the passage of 

 this amendment, a business-like perpetuation of our forests. 

 We are adopting a policy which should have been inaugurated 

 years ago, but it is never <too late to mend and a stitch in time 

 may save nine. 



Authentic records show that cinders, from a forest fire in the 

 tree tops in northern Washington this fall, were carried a dis- 

 tance of twenty miles. 



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