558 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



December 



sources than would otherwise have 

 been possible. The information will be 

 at hand for the establishment of state 

 forest reserves whenever Maryland is 

 ready to segregate through gift, or 

 purchase tracts for this purpose. To 

 the investor the data thus rendered 

 available will be of the greatest ser- 

 vice. Of chief importance, however, 

 will be the information given in these 

 publications to the land owner in ev- 

 ery county as to the best treatment to 

 be accorded to his wood lands. 



These investigations/however, would 

 possess incalculably greater value and 

 produce effects far more lasting if the 

 state would make provision for a for- 

 ester who could be consulted at all 

 times by the people of the state, and 

 who, with the information furnished 

 by the reports and maps, could in- 

 struct those desirous of introducing 

 practical methods in the handling of 



their woodlands, and especially in the 

 reforestation of tracts but lately cut 

 down. Proper protection against fire 

 must also be secured by the designa- 

 tion of fire wardens for the several 

 counties who in emergencies could se- 

 cure helpers and who would neces- 

 sarily be under the control of the state 

 forester. When the amount of timber 

 annually destroyed by fire equals in 

 value that secured by the lumbering 

 interests, it is high time that the same 

 stringent laws should be passed in 

 Maryland that have been found so ef- 

 ficient in other states. There is no 

 question that Maryland could add 

 enormously to her material resources 

 in a comparatively few years by adopt- 

 ing those measures which the experi- 

 ence of other countries and in recent 

 years the experience of many of our 

 own states has shown to be so valu- 

 able in developing the forest wealth. 



NATIONAL RECLAMATION 5 



BY 



CHARLES D. WALCOTT 



Director U. S. Geological Survey and the Reclamation Service. 



HP PIE propaganda for "National Ir- 

 rigation" was pushed forward at 

 all times, in season and out of season, 

 by John Wesley Powell. From 1874 

 to 1892 it was always in his mind, and 

 no amount of discouragement or de- 

 feat could convince him that it was 

 not a wise thing for the nation, and 

 that a full measure of success would 

 come in due time. He lived to see the 

 present reclamation act placed on the 

 statute book and the great work be- 

 gun. 



Many men were associated with 

 Major Powell in the pioneer days, but 

 in the dark days of 1892 few spoke 

 out so as to be heard. Irrigation was 

 in disfavor at the Capital. Slowly the 

 reaction came. 



The National Irrigation Association 

 brought together the friends of irri- 

 gation, and when organized by its ef- 

 fective and accomplished executive 

 chairman, it became a power that pro- 

 duced results. 



The propaganda among the. people 

 of the Middle and Eastern States be- 

 gan to bear fruit, and soon the sena- 

 tors and members from the Western 

 States, who were making a great fight, 

 began to feel that support was coming 

 from unexpected quarters. 



At this juncture a new and power- 

 ful force was added to the movement 

 by the succession of Theodore Roose- 

 velt to the presidency. 



An earnest, ardent advocate, with 

 knowledge of the subject from his life 



*Paper read at the Thirteenth National Irrigation Congress, at Portland, Oregon. 



