1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



577 



federal forest service. An excellent 

 study of the growth of chestnut in 

 southern Maryland was made and a 

 report published, which includes many 

 useful tables of growth and volume 

 and practicable recommendations in 

 regard to the management of the spe- 

 cies. A similar study has been made 

 of scrub pine, and a report will short- 

 ly follow. 



To summarize, the forestry move- 

 ment in Maryland up to the present 

 time has consisted in the gradual edu- 

 cation of private forest owners with 



time is now ripe for the state to take 

 action and pass laws that will further 

 the cause of forestry and promote one 

 of its most valuable economic re- 

 sources. The returns from an ill- 

 treated and neglected forest will often 

 be less than a third of those which 

 could be derived from the same forest 

 under proper management, and this is 

 a sufficient economic reason for such 

 state action as will promote the wel- 

 fare of its forests. There is under 

 preparation a bill, to be placed before 

 the Maryland legislature this winter, 



Ridge Timber, Chestnut and Oak, Backbone Mountain Garrett County. Maryland. 



the ideas and principles of forestry 

 through the agencies of the Federal 

 Forest Service and. the Maryland Geo- 

 logical Survey, and to some extent in- 

 ducing these owners to practice fores- 

 try wherever it may be shown to be a 

 wise business proposition. As yet 

 there has been no legislative action of 

 importance by the state with reference 

 to its forests. There is one rather in- 

 adequate forest law in regard to tres- 

 pass, and another in regard to fire, the 

 latter applicable .to one county. The 



providing for adequate forest legisla- 

 tion. The principal point ^ to be in- 

 cluded in the bill are: Tie appoint- 

 ment of a state 1 forester and an outline 

 of his duties; adequate tire laws, and 

 the po\ver of the state to aivepl and to 

 administer as forest reserves gifts of 

 forest lands. If the bill goes through 

 in the form desired, forestry in M ir\ 

 land will be put on a much more pro- 

 gressive and permanent ha>i>. The 

 development of private forestry in the 

 state \\<mld be greatly facilitated by 



