13 



THE UTILITY OF FORESTS. 



FoBESTS are, in the economy of man and of nature, of direct 

 and indirect value ; the former chiefl_y through their produce 

 and the latter through the influence which they exercise upon 

 climate, the regulation of moisture, the stahilit}^ of the soil, 

 the healthiness of a country and allied subjects. The effects 

 of forests may be looked at from the point of view of the owner, 

 or from that of the State. The owner considers, in the first 

 place, the benefits which he personally derives from his forests ; 

 the State appreciates the effects which they have upon the 

 country and the nation as a whole ; hence, in the majority of 

 cases, the owner is concerned chiefly with the direct effects, 

 and the State with the indirect effects, or with both. 



Each class of effects must be considered separately. 



