teamsters, foremen, and many rangers. In an indirect 

 way it would give employment to timber mill men, 

 such as carriage-riders, teamsters, drive men and also 

 p;iper makers. In a still more indirect way to lumber 

 retailers and printers. The Forest Rangers employed 

 to set out trees could also see that there were no fires 

 in the vicinity and if there were could put them out. 

 In this way many large fires could be avoided, such 

 as the Hinckley fire, and the fires in Minnesota in 

 1918, that did so much damage. 



Where there are hardwood trees the leaves that 

 fall will form a mulch and preserve the moisture. 

 This moisture will sink down into the earth and come 

 to an underground flow of water, where it will flow 

 to some lake or river, in this way it helps preserve 

 the moisture and prevents floods. In the spring when 

 the snow starts to go if there were no trees to shade 

 the snow it would all go in one or two days. If this 

 were so it would all go into rivers and there would 

 be floods. By so doing they destroy much game and 

 fish. You could also use the forest reserve as game 

 reserves. This would give refuge to scores of animals 

 such as beaver, mink, etc. It would also give refuge 

 to such animals as deer, elk, moose, and many other 

 hunted animals. 



Thus it seems wise to me to plant and protect 

 trees and forests in the state of Minnesota for the 

 purpose of utilizing waste land not suitable for agri- 

 culture, for bringing in revenue, for giving occupa- 

 tion and employment for many men, and to conserve 

 moisture, game and prevent floods that cause the 

 loss of life and property. 



11 



