REFORESTRATION. 



Anyone who lias traveled over the forest portions of 

 the State of Minnesota must have noticed the young 

 growing trees, both pines and deciduous trees which 

 cover the forest floor; he must have noticed the carpet 

 of forest soil which nourishes and sustains them; but 

 when the subject of reforestation is discussed and 

 plans are advocated to reseed and replant the areas 

 which have been cut over, the question naturally arises 

 why not protect this ground that is already seeded, 

 planted and sustaining thrifty trees before going to the 

 expense of doing all this work which nature has done 

 gratuitously everj^where throughout the forest coun- 

 try? To sum up the discussion of loss through forest 

 fires, we might say we know of a direct loss in the past 

 twenty-five years of property alone of $58,000,000. We 

 know of a loss of vast areas of young growing trees on 

 cut-over lands which can be estimated at $1,000,000 

 per year (to say nothing of the loss of soil through im- 

 poverishment and denudation) making a total property 

 loss through forest fires of property during the past 

 twenty-five years amounting to $83,000,000. 



HOW FOREST FIRES OCCUR. 



The question which naturally arises in this connec- 

 tion is How do these fires occur? And who is re- 

 sponsible for them? The cause of the fires up to the 

 present time are, clearing of land by settlers, loggers 

 not disposing of slash properly, railroads not having 

 proper patrol along their tracks, and in a minor degree 

 fires left by campers, and lightning. In dry seasons 



