ANNUAL REPORT STATE FORESTER OF MINNESOTA 793 



is being devoted to it, that farming is 

 on a firmer footing in this country than 

 ever before. The same may be said of 

 other -industries. The reverse has been 

 true of the forests. This should not 

 be so. There is as great need for 

 practicing scientific forestry as there is 

 for practicing scientific farming on the 

 agricultural lands. 



For years, the forests of Minnesota, 

 so long regarded as an inexhaustible 

 resource, have been diminishing in ex- 

 tent. This has been going on with no 

 attempt until recent years to check it ; 

 has been going on for years in face of 

 the fact that the true economic value 

 of the forests is second only in im- 

 portance to that of the farms. The 

 downward movement is to be observed 

 not only in the decrease in annual in- 

 come directly from the forests, but in 

 its harmful effect upon so many in- 

 dustries which touch upon them. Fur- 



thermore, it is apparent in the increased 

 cost of forest products to the consumer. 

 The time is at hand when that down- 

 ward movement must be stopped, or the 

 gradual loss will soon become a perma- 

 nent state calamity. To this end, there- 

 fore, not only should the lumber com- 

 panies, railroads, settlers and others, 

 observe the laws for forest preserva- 

 tion, and give organized assistance in 

 that work, but every one should, for 

 his own benefit, co-operate to the utmost 

 extent that he may in the work of 

 preserving and perpetuating the forests. 

 Without the combined individual and 

 organized aid of every one, the work 

 of the service for the forest welfare 

 must, proportionately as that aid is 

 lacking, be hindered and lack in effi- 

 ciency. Only with that aid can the 

 forests be brought to the point where 

 they will be productive of the greatest 

 benefit to the people. 



VIEW FROM ONE OF THE MOUNTAIN LAKES OF COOK COUNTY. MIX 



BREEDING FUR-BEARING ANIMALS 



m 



are profusely illustrated. 



A NEW BOOK BY DR. C. A. SCHENCK 



lumbermen and foresters. 



