i6 4 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION April 



ican Forestry Association. He was As- sources of water supply will be so pro- 



sistant Commissioner of the General tected as to prevent flooding of the 



Land Office during the second Cleveland streams during the springtime and the 



administration ; is a lawyer of decided melting of the snows, and to insure 



ability, and in general is especially well water for irrigation and other purposes 



qualified for the work, and the Associa- during the dry season. The establish - 



tion is exceedingly fortunate in securing ment and proper maintenance of forest 



Mr. Bowers' services as secretary. reserves is indispensable to any exten- 



Mr. Whittlesey resigned as recording sive reclamation or cultivation of lands 



secretary, and it was decided by the in the arid region under the recent act 



Directors that it was hardly worth while of Congress which appropriates for that 



to divide the duties of a corresponding purpose the proceeds of the sales of 



and recording secretary between two public lands. 



men, and it was therefore decided that "It is and has been the President's 



this work should be combined under consistent policy to encourage the actual 



Mr. Bowers' direction. settlement of the country by home-build- 



The Board appointed an executive ers in every way, to see that actual set- 

 committee consisting of Mr. Gifford tiers within the forest reserves are ac- 

 Pinchot, Mr. E. A. Bowers, Mr. Geo. P. corded every reasonable protection, and 

 Whittlesey, and Prof. Henry S. Graves, that those living within the immediate 

 The directors further decided to hold vicinity of these reserves, who are de- 

 five stated board meetings during the pendent upon the reserves for grazing 

 year as follows : On the second Tues- areas for cattle and horses and for nee- 

 day in March and May, the last Tues- essary timber for building and fuel, are 

 day in October, the Tuesday before the accorded access to the reserves for these 

 second Wednesday in December, and purposes under such reasonable restric- 

 the Thursday after the second Wednes- tions as will prevent waste and destruc- 

 day in December. tion. It has been so conclusively dem- 



The matter of settling upon a city in onstrated that uncontrolled sheep graz- 



which to hold the Association's summer ing within forest reserves is injurious 



meeting was taken up at this meeting, to the forest growth and to the natural 



The secretary presented invitations from water cover that the great migratory 



several cities, and after discussion it was flocks of sheep are necessarily kept out 



decided to hold the next summer meet- of the reserves ; but even this policy is 



ing at Minneapolis, Minn., some time pursued with cautious attention to the 



in August, the exact date to be deter- prevention of injury to those engaged in 



mined later. sheep-raising. The preservation of wild 



^i game, such as moose, elk, and deer, 



which is only a minor feature of the 



Forest The following statement control of the forest reserves, is author- 

 Reserve respecting the present ized by an act of Congress, which directs 

 Policy. and future policy of the that those employed in the forestry 

 present administration service shall in all practical ways aid in 

 relating to the establishment and con- the enforcemeni of the game and fish 

 trol of forest reservations was recently laws of the state or territory in which 

 made by Commissioner Richards, of the the forest reserve is located. The law 

 General Land Office : of the state or territory upon this sub- 

 ' The President's purpose and desire ject is to be the sole guide of these offi- 

 3 to protect and preserve the remaining cers. The United States has interposed 

 forests upon public lands from the dev- no law of its own, and the administra- 

 astation and destruction which has been tion has given no directions to its forest 

 the fate of those in large portions of the officers other than that the local laws, 

 Appalachian Mountains and in other whatever they may be, shall be enforced, 

 forested sections of the country. In In some of the western states and terri- 

 doing this a supply of timber will be tories, notably Wyoming, the govern- 

 preserved for future needs, and natural ment forest rangers are by the laws of 



