FARM FORESTRY 245 



as well as the free country man, may find peaceful rest and 

 happy appreciation of nature beneath the forest's kindly 

 shelter. 



THE NATIONAL FORESTS 



The conservation policy. Destructive lumbering and 

 wastful use have wrought havoc with the forests. Forest fires 

 have swept over thousands of acres of timber land, destroy- 

 ing not only the trees, both old and young, but even eating 

 out the rich soil, the accumulation of ages. Then follow the 

 wasjiing away of unprotected soil on deforested slopes and 

 destructive freshets which cover the lowlands with deposits 

 of sand and mud. To prevent this waste of the wealth of the 

 nation, Congress has established the National Forests. The 

 spirit which controls the administration of these National For- 

 ests may be set forth in the words " careful use." Rangers 

 patrol the forests to protect them from misuse and destruc- 

 tion. Live stock graze on the forest, but the number is lim- 

 ited. Water power is not cut off from use, and lumbering is 

 carried on, but under the supervision of trained foresters, 

 who see that all trees cut are closely utilized, that provision 

 is made for leaving seed trees, and that the brush is properly 

 burned so as to minimize the danger from fire. 



In addition to these methods of careful usage, the national 

 government is planting large areas of forest. Altogether, how- 

 ever, in this country we have planted an area equal only to 

 the State of Rhode Island, whereas the area planted to trees 

 should have been one hundred times greater. The forest is 

 a very important contributor to our national wealth, and one 



