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THE FORESTER. 



November, 



Cypresses in barren soils that are fit for 

 nothing else. For ornament and shade, 

 however, the roads are lined on both sides 

 with superb Pine trees, which give great 

 beauty to the country and make travelling 

 in warm weather a pleasure. And we, 

 too, are lying the foundation for a like 

 record in the years to come. 



The United States has recently set apart 

 46,000,000 acres of mountain lands as a 

 forest reserve, and has appointed a suffi- 

 cient force to insure their administration 

 and protection from fire. It is an inter- 

 esting fact, that for the first time in the 

 history of our country, the President in 

 his last annual message, devoted space to 

 the subject of forestry. 



We have much to look forward to from 

 the increasing interest manifested in our 

 National and State Parks, and in the con- 

 scientious efforts of the officers of the As- 

 sociation to enforce the laws in punish- 

 ment of wilful destruction and for the still 



more disastrous results arising: from care- 

 lessness in starting forest and prairie fires. 

 The fire wardens in our State have done 

 much to stop this evil, and the report for 

 189S shows, of the total number of fires, 

 78 per cent, controlled or extinguished by 

 fire wardens. 



The States of New York and Pennsyl- 

 vania have made more progress in a busi- 

 ness-like treatment of forestry than any 

 others in the Union. Pennsylvania sets 

 the valuable example of being willing to 

 sink large amounts of money without hope 

 of return, simply because she appreciates 

 the immense indirect advantage to be de- 

 rived from a proper care of her forests. 

 And let us hope that the people of Minne- 

 sota may be equally far-seeing, and may 

 not withhold their hearty cooperation and 

 substantial aid in furthering the work so 

 well begun. 



Rebecca B. Flandrau. 



In the Conrant, St. Paul. 



The Forests of the Nation. 



The annual report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office of the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior, which will shortly be issued, contains the following recommen- 

 dations referring especially to forestry : 



The changing and enlarging of the limits of the Mount Ranier National Park, State 

 of Washington, on the lines advised by Bailey Willis, of the United States Geological 

 Survey, in his article, prepared especially for The Forester, and published in the 

 May issue of this year. 



The extension of the Yellowstone National Park. 



The appropriation of three hundred thousand dollars for the expenses of the forest 

 service in connection with the creation and administration of forest reservations. 



The enactment of a law that shall empower forest officers, special agents, and other 

 officers having authority in relation to the protection of public lands and the timber 

 thereon, to make arrests, without process in hand, for the violation of the laws or rules 

 and regulations relating to the forest reserves or other forest lands of the United States. 



The authority to rent or lease lands within forest reservations for any purposes not 

 incompatible with the purposes for which such reservations are created. 



Legislative provision for the entry of lands within forest reservations which are 

 found to be more valuable for the coal therein than for forest uses. 



Protecting the Government in the exchange of lands within forest reservations for 

 those without, by legislative provision that the natural state of the tract relinquished 

 shall not have been changed except to such an extent as may have been necessary in 

 clearing the land for actual cultivation. 



Recommendation in matter of perfected claims to lands in forest reserves (Act June 

 4' x 897)5 where ownership is established and land is reconveyed to the United States. 



