ro 



THE FORESTER. 



March, 





forestry association can in time accom- 

 plish; "for there can be no doubt that 

 Pennsylvania's present treatment of her 

 forests is due chiefly to the patient and 

 persistent work of Dr. Rothrock and the 

 other othcers and members of the State 

 Association. 



Results of the The short session of the 

 Congressional last congress has ad- 

 Session, journed and a number of 

 measures which it was 

 hoped would be passed must still wait for 

 another vear. First among them are those 

 looking toward the purchase of the Cala- 

 veras Grove, the investigation of the 

 Minnesota Park project, and the establish- 

 ment of a Southern Appalachian Forest 

 Reserve. The proposed Appalachian Re- 

 serve has been surveyed and reported on 

 at the desire of congress, has been recom- 

 mended by the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 and has been voted on favorably by the 

 Senate. It is safe to say that only the 

 great pressure of other business prevented 

 the House from voting in its favor this 

 vear. Some ground will have to be gone 

 over again but it needs no prophet to see 

 that though its friends failed of success this 

 vear this reserve will in time be established. 

 Of the Calaveras Grove and the Minne- 

 sota Park less can be said. In spite of 

 the efforts of those who are trying to have 

 the Minnesota park question voted on it 

 was hardly mentioned during this session 

 of Congress and on the two or three occa- 

 sions when it was, nothing was done. 

 An act for the purchase of the Calaveras 

 Grove passed the Senate but was opposed 

 in the House. In the same way the dif- 

 ferent measures which belong, perhaps, 

 more particularly to the field of irrigation 

 fell through. The Pima Indian appro- 

 priation, carrying $100,000 for irrigation 

 investigations and works in the South- 

 west failed of passage at the very end of 

 the session, as did likewise the different 

 measures attached to the River and Har- 

 bor Bill. Nor was there any increase in 

 the appropriation for the Hydrographic 

 Division of the Geological Survey. 



But in spite of what the 56th Congress 

 has not done the year need not be looked 

 upon as one barren of results. The session 

 was a very short one and one unusually full 

 of important business. Besides, much per- 

 suading and explaining, which goes with 

 everything as new as forestry and irriga- 

 tion, will not have to be done over again. 

 And finally the increase in the appropria- 

 tion for the Division of Forestry from 

 $88,520 to $187,240 and the promotion 

 of the same Division to the standing of 

 a Bureau, a measure which was threat- 

 ened with failure at first but which passed 

 without difficulty, are notable steps in 

 advance. 



Legislation An amendment to the 



about grazing. "Sundry Civil Ex- 

 penses" bill was pro- 

 posed last month providing: "That any 

 person residing within the limits of any 

 forest reservation, or any person who did 

 reside therein at the time of its creation, or 

 whose live stock had ranges within the 

 area covered by such reservation prior 

 to its creation and still ranges within its 

 limits, shall be permitted to graze live 

 stock continuously within the limits of 

 such reservation upon the condition that 

 he will at all times use his best efforts to 

 prevent the starting and spread of forest 

 fires in the locality in which his stock 

 ranges." Although the Department of 

 Agriculture is even now making a thor- 

 ough and careful investigation of the graz- 

 ing question this amendment passed the 

 Senate with but little modification. 



The chief trouble with this amendment 

 is that whoever framed it did not provide 

 adequately against the depravity of those 

 who apply the letter of the law rather than 

 its spirit. The amendment should be more 

 explicit. After "still ranges within its 

 limits " there should be inserted " or whose 

 relatives and friends resided in said re- 

 serve, or had live stock ranging therein, 

 or any of whose herders had ever pastured 

 stock on the reserve." Its meaning would 

 then be reasonably plain. 



