332 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION July 



patent service in the islands, he was detailed to take charge of forest work, and later organized 

 and was placed in charge of the Forest Bureau at Manila. He has taken a great interest in the 

 promotion of biological study of the flora and fauna of the islands, and has gathered about him 

 a number of young scientists who are doing good work in developing the ultimate object he is 

 seeking the fullest possible knowledge of the natural economic resources of the Philippines. 

 He is constantly on the alert to enlarge his working force and to bring out of the chaotic 

 general impression that the islands are very rich some particular facts which will show wherein 

 the true values may be found. The Philippine forests are rich in material, and Captain Ahern's 

 task is to gather information and to institute methods which will make the material available 

 in the best way. 



THE PROPOSED SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN 



FOREST RESERVE/' 



BY 



HON. JAMES WILSON, 



SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



IT occurred to Congress to instruct before the lower lands around them 

 me to study the Southern Appa- emerged from beneath the waters. The 

 lachian forest range so as to give them purpose is to save the mountain tops 

 some information with regard to condi- and the forests extending along that 

 tions there, what effect the destruction of range from its northern to its southern 

 the forests down there might have upon extremity for a reserve or pleasure 

 that locality and, incidentally, upon all ground for the people of the United 

 the people of the United States. In- States. What Congress is proposing to 

 structing me to do anything of that do now should have been done half a 

 kind means that I am to find a scientist century ago, and if the reserve had 

 to do it. The department of Agricul- been made there then and the northern 

 ture has something like one-half, or a people had met the southern people and 

 little more, of the scientists under pay had communed in that pure atmosphere 

 and direction of the United States Gov- up there, some things that have unhap- 

 ernment. They study what pertains to pily occurred might not have occurred 

 production from the soil all along the within the last half a century. But 

 line. We are all fellows with those who now materialistic questions present 

 work in the fields with their coats off, themselves with regard to these great 

 those who are wrestling with nature and mountains. It is very interesting to 

 her products. And so it was my privi- study them in all their relations. No 

 lege to send down some of our foresters, matter to what lines of science a man 

 who were accompanied by geologists may devote his time he will be inter- 

 famous men from the city and they ested in studying the great Southern 

 made a careful study of that great back- Appalachian range. It has so much of 

 bone of the eastern United States. interest all along the line. 



There we find the highest peaks, the The most interesting feature of any 



highest mountains east of the Missis- country is its people. In that region 



sipi, the oldest formations, the locality you find people whose forefathers were 



that has watched over, if I may use the there probably two centuries ago, and 



expression, the formation of the eastern if the impression ever reaches you, as it 



half of the United States. And when has found its way into some of our 



the geologist communes with those minds, that they are a lower order of 



mountains he learns much of their his- humanity, banish that thought at once, 



tory in what he has seen, of another age There are as fine people, pure people, 



* Lecture delivered before National Geographic Society. 



