INTRODUCTION xxxvii 



out." But he added with great enthusiasm, "Since 

 the Service has taken charge the sky around here 

 is as clear as crystal all summer. I never see any 

 forest fires, not even smoke, because the Rangers 

 seem to get to them before they get to be of any 

 size." Such testimony as this speaks volumes for 

 the efficiency of the present system of protecting 

 the Forests from fire. 



The Watershed Cover Was Preserved. The de- 

 struction of the forest cover on the watersheds 

 feeding thousands of streams which rise in the 

 western mountains would have had its bad effect 

 on stream flow low water during the long dry 

 periods, and destructive floods after heavy rains. 

 This condition of affairs would have meant disas- 

 ter to the systems of irrigation by which most of 

 the western farmers raise their crops. It would 

 also have seriously impeded and in many cases 

 prevented electric power development, to say noth- 

 ing of affecting the domestic water of many of our 

 large western cities whose drinking water comes 

 from the streams rising in the National For- 

 ests. The protection of these valuable watersheds 

 by the Forest Service from fire and destructive 

 lumbering is of such vital importance to the wel- 



