76 THE FORESTER. April, 



tion of the forests by use, is greatly in- men, as well as those who have a less 



creased by the publication of The direct interest in forest protection. 

 Forester, through which medium it Charles D. Walcott. 



reaches miners, irrigators, and lumber- 



Government Forests and Their Preservation. 



By the Commissioner of the General Land Office. 



There is so much theory and so much while this surplus is utilized the forest 

 real poetry and romance in the bare men- growth is greatly improved. Such cut- 

 tion of forests and forest life, and their ting and removal, however, should only 

 association with untrammeled nature, be permitted after the dead or matured 

 that it becomes difficult to divert the tree has been selected and designated, 

 mind to the more artificial phase and and where so located that its removal 

 the practical details of forest preserva- shall not result injuriously to the forest 

 tion and management. It is, however, cover and the tree life surrounding it. 

 with this view I have to deal now. So The purchaser, under our rules, is 

 important has this subject already be- obliged to remove or destroy the branches 

 come in its far reaching result that it and waste material of the fallen trees not 

 may be said to affect more or less every essential for use, thereby preventing an 

 great industry of the nation. Agricul- accumulation of dry matter which is so 

 ture, manufactures, and mining are per- conducive to fires. That reasonable 

 haps at present more closely related to compensation may be had to the Govern- 

 the fate of the forest than most other ment, the timber is estimated and ap- 

 industries. Having disposed of the larger praised and the price paid by the 

 portion of its forest wealth to those purchaser, and this forms a fund in 

 whose selfish ends look only to the im- partial aid of forest administration. So 

 mediate present, the General Govern- systematic and so businesslike and eco- 

 ment at last has come to the rescue and nomical is the management of other 

 through tardy legislation and limited countries in the disposal of the surplus 

 appropriations has partially provided for timber from their forest domain that 

 the preservation of its remaining forests. some nations actually count the annual 

 In this wise policy it has in view a two- wood yield as among their most profit- 

 fold purpose the encouragement and able revenues. For instance : India col- 

 protection of the timber growth and the lected in one year three millions of dollars 

 conservation of the water supply. These net, while Prussia received an income 

 are so interdependent that to remove from her forests of six millions of dollars 

 either one, both are destroyed. The net. The amount expended by the latter 

 most formidable foes to forest life are the country in the management of her forest 

 wasteful acts of man and the devastating domain in one year amounted to the 

 fire. The object of the Government is enormous sum of eight millions of 

 to restrain and limit the one, and to pre- dollars. 



vent the other. It is not essential to Not only as to the removal of timber, 



the preservation of the forest that it be but in other respects is our Government 



walled in and its products entirely with- liberal in allowing access to the forest 



held from use. The prime object of the reserves. Prospecting and mining, with 



reserve is that it shall the more largely the free use of timber for such purposes 



contribute to a beneficial end. Experi- is allowed ; while roadways, bridges, 



ence in other nations has demonstrated church buildings and school-houses may 



that much of the matured timber should be constructed and timber used therefor, 



be judiciously culled from the forest, and To the small user of timber, resident in 



