xviii INTRODUCTION 



this problem will be readily appreciated. Over 50 

 per cent, of our population is rural, and the annual 

 production of farm crops has a value of over $5,- 

 500,000,000. Farm uplands are washed away or 

 eroded by high water, and high water is largely 

 caused by the destruction of the forests on the 

 mountain slopes. With the forest cover removed, 

 there is nothing to obstruct the flow of water down 

 the mountain sides. Raindrops beating on the 

 bare soil make it hard and compact so that most of 

 the water runs off instead of being absorbed by the 

 subsoil, with the result that a heavy rain storm 

 rushes down through the valleys in a few days in- 

 stead of a few weeks, tears out the river banks, 

 floods the lowlands, and deposits upon them the 

 rocks and gravel carried down from the mountains. 

 The most effective means for preventing the erosion 

 and destruction of our farmlands is by the wise use 

 of the forests at the headwaters of the rivers. 



Forestry a Public Enterprise. From what has 

 been said it will be seen that forestry is a national 

 business rather than an individual's. Moreover, it 

 is of such a protracted nature, reaching continu- 

 ously into such long periods of time, demanding so 



