1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



423 



with the ephemeral lumber town in 

 this country. 



2.. The second strong reason for a 

 forest reservation in New England, is 

 that it would protect the water flow. 

 A majority of the rivers in Xew Eng- 

 land rise in the White Mountain re- 

 gion. The most important of these 

 are the Connecticut, the Merrimack, 

 the Saco, and the Androscoggin. Great 

 enterprises are dependent upon their 

 equable flow. They are the main 

 source of power for' the concentrated 

 manufacturing establishments in Xew 



the Merrimack is dependent upon the 

 mountain forests, though in less de- 

 gree than the Connecticut and the 

 other large rivers. 



3. Because all of Xew England is 

 vitally affected, having interests that 

 are paramount to those in any one 

 state- the proposed reservation in the 

 White Mountains is a matter for fed- 

 eral action. New Hampshire and Mas- 

 sachusetts have the most at stake, 

 though Maine, Connecticut, and Ver- 

 mont are not far behind. New Hamp- 

 shire appropriated $5,000 for an ex- 



Barren Upper Slopes in the Presidential Range, White Mountains. 



England, particularly of those making 

 paper and cotton-cloth. Upon their 

 purity depends the health of those 

 large cities that use their waters for 

 drinking purposes. Although certain 

 manufacturing concerns on the Merri- 

 mack have not thus far shown a marked 

 interest in the plans for a reservation, 

 owing to the fact that the Merrimack 

 has enormous natural reservoirs in 

 Lake Squam, Lake Winnipesaukee, 

 and Newfoud Lake, with dams at then- 

 outlets making more even the flow i:i 

 this river, vet it is true that the tl<>\v >f 



animation by the United States Forest 

 Service of the entire mountain region. 

 This examination has been made, and 

 the report is replete with facts giving 

 a full account of the situation as to the 

 location of forest kinds, their extent, 

 condition and value, the influence of 

 lumbering, fire ard erosion. It shows 

 also the effects of present manage- 

 ment. The bill before Congress has 

 reservation may not interfere with the 

 progress of agricultural or other priv- 

 Me holdings, nor with the forest in- 

 been carefullv drawn i:i order that a 



