126 



TRACTICAL COURSE IN BOTANY 



ones, or the reforestation of tracts from which the timber has 

 been destroyed. Forests may be either pure, that is, com- 

 posed mainly of one 

 kind of tree, as a pine 

 or a fir wood ; or mixed, 

 being made up of a vari- 

 ety of different growths, 

 as are most of our com- 

 mon hardwood forests. 

 140. Enemies of the 

 forest. — -The first step 

 in the preservation of 

 our forests is to know 

 the dangers to be 

 j2;uarded against. The 

 chief of these are* 

 <\) fires; (2) the igno- 

 rance or recklessness of 

 man in cutting for 

 commercial purposes ; 

 (3) fungi; (4) injurious insects; (5) sheep, hogs, and other 

 animals that eat the seeds and the young, tender growth. 



141. How to protect the 

 forests. — The annual de- 

 struction of forests by fires 

 probably exceeds that from 

 all other causes combined. 

 The only effectual safeguard 

 against this danger is watch- 

 fulness on the part of every- 

 hodif. We can each one of 

 us help in this work by at 

 least being careful ourselves 

 never to kindle a fire in the 

 woods without taking every 

 precaution against its 



Fig. 145. — After the forest fire. 



Oyater fuugus ou Uudeo, 



