804 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



f erred upon Congress to pass such of the greatest navigable streams in 



laws and to make or provide for the the United States take their rise in the 



making of such rules and regulations, Appalachian Mountain ranges, in the 



of both civil and criminal nature, and counties that are covered by this propo- 



provide punishment therefor, as in its sition. 



judgment may be necessary for the While there are 282 navigable 



management, protection and control of streams in the United States, it is 



such lands as may be from time to time shown by statistics that two West Vir- 



acquired by the United States under ginia rivers, the Monongahela and 



the provisions of this act." Ohio, carry almost 25,000,000 tons of 



The question of forests with their freight each year, or about one-fifth of 



manifold benefits to the continued ex- the whole tonnage carried on navigable 



istence of mankind on earth, would fill streams in the United States. For this 



volumes and cannot be properly dis- reason, the protection of forests in 



cussed in an article of this character, West Virginia is of immense importance 



but the benefits to be derived by our to the nation's inland commerce, for 



State and Nation by establishing a na- without this protection the time must 



tional forest reserve in the territory come when these great navigable 



mentioned is so apparent that it de- streams of commerce will fail on 



serves at least some passing comment, account of the drying up of the foun- 



The basic idea of the Federal Gov- tain heads of these streams, 

 eminent in acquiring these reserves is The Government's aid in creating 

 to regulate the flow of water in the forest reserves in West Virginia will 

 streams originating in these forest mean even more to us than maintain- 

 areas, which eventually form the navi- ini, r a water supply for commercial 

 gable streams of our nation. But the purposes, and should not only be en- 

 control of such forests by the Federal couraged by State aid in every way 

 Government would be of benefit in possible, but corporations, firms and in- 

 other matters, such as helping protect dividuals should be reasonable in 

 our forests from fire ; maintaining an quoting prices on land which they have 

 even flow of our streams, thus making for sale in these designated regions. It 

 them better for fish culture and furnish- is the purpose of the commission to 

 ing better protection to our game and obtain lands that can be purchased for 

 birds. While these lands will not be a low or reasonable price, and not pay 

 game preserves in a strict sense, yet any fancy price for land for this pur- 

 with the protection from fire and pose. There are thousands of acres of 

 under the patrol and care of the United such lands in the mountain ranges men- 

 States Government, it will, at least, tioned that are scarcely valuable enough 

 make a refuge where game and birds to justify the owners in paying taxes on 

 can be protected from the pot hunter, same, which can be used to great ad- 

 The public will have the right to hunt vantage in this work and should be 

 and fish upon these lands, in accordance turned over to the Federal Government 

 with the State laws, where they are at a nominal price, 

 located. By establishing these forest reserves 



One has to but take a glance at the an even supply of water will be main- 

 map of the portion of the United States tained for all time, and the great 

 which comprises this adventure, to be freshets and floods that have been in- 

 impressed with the wisdom of the gov- creasing in the last few years will be 

 eminent in acquiring same. Along held in check; the soil that is now held 

 these two great ranges of mountains in place by these forest tracts will be 

 the water sheds are formed that con- retained and used in reforesting the 

 trol the supply of water for all the cut-over areas, and the care that is 

 Eastern part of the United States. taken of the tracts of the Federal Gov- 



The position that West Virginia oc- eminent will inspire others to take sim- 



cupies in this undertaking is unique and ilar care of their forests, and in numer- 



more important than that of any other ous ways the State will be benefited. 



State affected, for the reason that two Thousands of acres of land in West 



