important trees are balsam, tamarack, spruce, elm, wal- 

 nut, oak, ash, birch, poplar, cottonwood, boxelder and 

 willow. Increasing interest is being shown among 

 the owners of forest lands in the efforts being made 

 to conserve in all ways the timber supply of the state 

 and this should be done. 



In the early days the settlers cut off forests waste- 

 fully, to clear the land, and many of the settlers in 

 northern Minnesota do the very same thing now, 

 never once stopping to think of the damage done and 

 the future of our state and country. Not many years 

 ago it became a matter a public interest to regu- 

 late tree-cutting and to plant forests. This is done in 

 part to keep a supply of timber and in part to regu- 

 late floods and to prevent the wasteful washing of 

 the soil. 



The cutting of wood exposes the spongy cover of 

 mosses and leaves to destruction. The flowers that 

 grow in the shade and receive their moisture from the 

 trees will also be destroyed. 



The forests serve as a reservoir to hold the water 

 and dole it out throughout the year. 



The trees hold lots of moisture and wherever there 

 are trees the ground isn't as dry as it would be if 

 there were not any trees. 



If we didn't have forests in northern Minnesota 

 we would have droughts in the summer just like 

 they have on the prairies. 



We should plant trees and take care of them in 

 Minnesota because they serve for various purposes 

 which are as follows : 



1. They serve as shade trees for many plants and 



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