232 THE FORESTER. October, 



seldom done, and when scattered on the and destructive in the early settlement 



range the tramping of the small tree before the grazing by sheep and cattle, 



plants is slight. and that in the growth of the young 



There are in the San Francisco Moun- Pine, the reforestation is greater where 



tain forest reservation districts on which it has been protected by the stock and 



sheep have been grazed constantly for the owners of the stock. Systematic 



twenty years or more, others on which efforts on the part of both the Depart- 



cattle only have grazed, and a few dis- ment and the herdsmen will bring much 



tricts on which neither have grazed at better results. Let us have an intelli- 



any time to any considerable extent, and gent, candid investigation of this ques- 



we have yet to find the man who can go tion in each locality by capable men who 



over these districts and point out which come seeking truth, and without precon- 



district has been grazed by sheep, which ceived notions and theories which they, 



by cattle, or the district on which no consciously or unconsciously, seek al- 



stock has ranged. There is practically ways to sustain and prove, 

 no difference in the growth of these dis- (Signed) E. S. Gosney, 



tricts. It is claimed by the oldest set- Flagstaff Arizona 



tiers that forest fires were more frequent 



Forest Conditions of Porto Rico. 



Review of the Forest Resources of the Island, by the Special Agent of the 



U. S. Geological Survey, for Issue by the Department of Agriculture. 



second paper forest aspects of the island. 



By Courtesy of the Secretary of Agriculture. 



Those who have read Kingsley's in- plantations, excepting the tobacco and 

 teresting description of the tropical for- sugar fields, are not cleanly cleared like 

 ests of Trinidad, or Lafcadio Hearn's those of the United States, but, on the 

 vivid pictures of the vast woods of Mar- contrary, individual trees are abundant 

 tinique, will be disappointed not to find and well distributed everywhere. Along 

 such forests and woods duplicated in the roadsides, around every hut, and 

 Porto Rico, except in the single instance throughout the coffee plantations are 

 of the summit portion of El Yunque, in many trees, a few of which are remnants 

 the Sierra Luquillo, where there are of the aboriginal forests, while most of 

 about eight square miles of virgin forest. them have been planted for shade or 

 The island, although wooded in the fruit. Grange trees, Mangoes, Aguacates, 

 sense that it is still dotted by many Breadfruit, Mameys, and other stately 

 beautiful trees, is largely deforested from trees are common, while, as in our own 

 a commercial point of view. Porto Rico, deforested region, there are a fewtimber- 

 at the time of its discovery, was undoubt- making trees which have been spared 

 edly completely covered by forests of the ax. Besides these larger trees, Flam- 

 many species of trees, but these can boyantes, Nisperos and Guanabonas of 

 hardly be said to exist at present. A smaller growth add their foliage to the 

 few insignificant patches of culled forest wooded aspect of the island, 

 also occur in the central and northwest- So far as was observed by reconnois- 

 ern portions of the island which will be sance methods the island presents two 

 described presently. strongly marked and contrasting zones 



To the casual observer, the aspect of of vegetation. One includes the whole 

 Porto Rico, in places, is still that of an of the mountains and north coast re- 

 open wooded landscape. The farms and gion and the other is the foothill country 



