GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF THE FORESTS. 95 



some poor man who is willing to settle on it. As the state makes no pro- 

 vision to forestall annual fires, the ruin continues until the very fertility of 

 the soil is entirely eaten out. If this is a practical policy, then is desert- 

 making practical. 



TAX TITLES ON WOODLANDS. 



Where the locality is promising, men buy the taxes on special woodlands, 

 denuded of market timber, and hold them for speculation in the future a 

 reprehensible law and business. Our legislature has the right and power 

 to foreclose such titles, and to consecrate such lands to forestry in the form 

 of parks and reserves. Fires excluded and cuttings economized, even 

 without special culture for the present, they would soon begin to recover a 

 wooded condition, improving the soil, augmenting in value and blessing 

 the people with increase of atmospheric moisture and eventual water-flow 

 over their now desolate regions. The Forestry Association respectfully 

 submits that such a legislative policy is the best possible disposal of such 

 lands. 



PERCENTAGE OF GOVERNMENTAL OWNERSHIP. 



In Germany two-thirds of the forest area is maintained by the govern- 

 ment. In Austria 13 per cent of the forest area is in the hands of the 

 government. Switzerland has only 4 per cent of its forest under complete 

 governmental control, but governmental control is exercised over 66 per 

 cent of her forest area. Italy owns but 1.6 per cent of her forest area. 

 A law was enacted in Italy in 1888 requiring reforestation of all desert 

 mountain lands. In France the government prevents the cutting of timber 

 even on private lands when that cutting is detrimental to the public 

 welfare. Ten per cent of the French forests are held by the government. 

 Spain owns 4% per cent of her forests, but controls eighty per cent of her 

 forest area. Fifteen to 20 per cent of the Scandinavian forests are owned 

 by the government. Russia owns two-thirds of her forest area. England 

 has just begun the work of planting trees in waste places. India's forest 

 revenue amounts to several million dollars annually, but Germany leads the 

 world in forest management. 



GOVERNMENTAL INCOME. 



Prussia, from her 6,000,000 acres of state forest, receives an annual net 

 income of $7,000,000. Saxony, from her 4,000,000 of forest lands receives 

 an annual net income of $1,125,000. Bavaria, from her 3,000,000 acres 

 receives annually a net profit of $4,500,000. 



THE STATE'S PREROGATIVE. 



The figures prove that where forests are properly managed, profit ensues 

 in due time. Why should not the state, then, rise to the emergency? It 

 regulates pharmacy, dental art, telegraphy, navigation, mining and the 

 like, why not assume equal responsibility over the forests, seeing their 

 preservation concerns all these other interests? Every year's delay lessens 

 the hold of the people upon the forests and heightens the impending peril 

 to our climatic and agricultural dependencies. 



