132 



THE FORESTER. 



June, 



IV. THE INCREASING INTEREST IN FOREST PRESERVATION. 



It is encouraging to note that an increas- tains are well covered with trees and un : 



ing interest is being taken by the people derbrush, the rain soaks in slowly, and 



of this section on the subject of forest most of it reaches the valley in shape to 



preservation. This is an important sub- be of service to the horticulturists. Dam- 



ject, in any part of the country. Already, age equal to that done by fire is often 



in the East, apprehension is expressed worked by bands of sheep, which eat off 



at the rapidity with which the great for- every vestige of a green thing and tear 



ests of the Northwest and North are be- the thin soil from the rocks with their 



ing denuded, not only for lumber, but in hoofs. 



the ever-increasing demand for wood While'we are making provision for the 



pulp in the manufacture of paper. It is protection of our forest reservations, we 



now suggested that the Government should not lose sight of the necessity of 



should permit wood and wood pulp to doing something to replant the stretches 



come in free from Canada, so that there of forests that have been destroyed by 



may be less inducement to cut down the fire during the past few years. It is a 



American forests in such wholesale man- noteworthy fact that there is no river in 



ner. Southern California which has been so 



If the question of forest preservation much denuded in its upper stretches as 



is such an important one in other parts the San Gabriel, where the damage done 



of the country, which enjoy a regular to agricultural lands in that valley in- 



rainfall throughout the year, how much creases steadily as the forests on the 



more so is it here, in Southern Califor- mountains are destroyed, 



nia, where our farmers have to depend When it is considered that, in addition 



so largely upon irrigation for crops. The to the material advantage derived from 



supply of water for irrigation depends the mountain forests, they have also an 



mainly on the condition of the wood aesthetic side, and that this section ob- 



growing on the mountains. Where it 

 has been swept bare by fire, the rain, 

 when it comes, runs off in torrents, cut- 

 ting up the mountain sides, and often 

 causing floods in the valley below, 

 whereas, when the slopes of the moun- 



tains man} 7 millions of dollars every year 

 from tourists, we certainly ought not to 

 hesitate over the moderate expense of 

 replanting these bare and uninviting 

 mountain slopes. Editorial, Los Angeles, 

 Cal., Times. 



The Propagation of Forest Trees. 



Energetic Work of the State Sylvaton Society in North Dakota. 



Public interest in the propagation of 

 forest trees in North Dakota is being 

 greatly stimulated by the energetic efforts 

 of the State Sylvaton Society, and its 

 originator, W. W. Barrett, State Super- 

 intendent of Irrigation and Forestry in 

 that State. During the past month Mr. 

 Barrett has sent out personally over one 

 and one half million of Box Elder and 

 White Ash seeds to the county superin- 

 tendents of schools for distribution in all 

 the schools in the State, to be planted by 

 the scholars, not only in the school 



grounds, but at their homes, on the 

 farms, and in the city and village lots. 



"As the twig is bent, the tree is in- 

 clined"; as trained in youth so fixed in 

 manhood years. According to the Bis- 

 marck Tribune, Mr. Barrett and his 

 brothers became interested in the raising 

 of trees in Maine, where they operated a 

 nursery on the old homestead farm. 

 They are now practical foresters in their 

 respective States Maine, California, 

 North Dakota and Minnesota. 



Ten years ago when running his farm 



