EDITORIAL 



MORE EASTERN FOREST RESERVES 



A 



NUMBER of the leading organi- 

 zations of New England and 

 of the South Atlantic States 

 will be asked to join the Ameri- 

 can Forestry Association in the effort 

 to secure the passage by the next 

 Congress of an act providing for an 

 appropriation of $2,000,000 a year, for a 

 period of five years, to be used in the 

 purchase of forest land in New England 

 and the Southern Appalachians as 

 forest reserves. 



By the end of this year, when the 

 present appropriation will be exhausted, 

 about 1,200.000 acres of this land will 

 have been secured. A total of some 

 5,000,000 acres is needed. That is the 

 amount of acreage recommended by 

 Secretary of Agriculture Houston. The 

 National Forest Reservation Commis- 

 sion endorsed the t recommendation. 

 Every thinking citizen who can judge 

 by present conditions in deforested 

 countries what the future holds for New 

 England and the Southern Appalachian 

 territory if the forest land is not pre- 

 served also heartily approves the 

 plan to increase and extend the forest 

 reserves in these districts. 



American Forestry asked Governor 

 Locke Craig of North Carolina 

 his opinion and Governor Craig 

 said: "The Appalachian Mountains are 

 covered with forests nowhere excelled. 

 The luxuriance of the vast wooded 

 areas contribute largely to the grandeur 

 of the scenery. The views from moun- 

 tain peaks are magnificent beyond 

 description and are restful and pleasing 

 on account of the richness and beauty 

 of the foliage. These forests are about 

 to be destroyed . They are very valuable 

 for lumber. The individuals and cor- 

 porations who own them have, as the 

 law now exists, the right to cut them 

 down. They are mowing them down 

 as a field of wheat is mowed. The 

 debris left upon the ground soon be- 

 comes very dry and there is a great deal 

 of it. It is impossible to prevent fires 



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in this inflammable material. After these 

 mountains have been cut over terrific 

 conflagrations sweep the whole country, 

 destroying every living thing. Instead 

 of mountain peak and ridge and slope, 

 covered with a wealth of primeval 

 forest, there is vast desolation. I have 

 seen this myself. 



"The Appalachian Mountains con- 

 stitute the source of our rivers that 

 water the plains and turn the wheels of 

 industry. When the forests on the 

 mountains are destroyed the water 

 supply is no longer conserved. When 

 the rains come the torrents rush down 

 and wash away the fertile lands and 

 destroy the efficiency of the streams. 



"The Government can render a last- 

 ing and invaluable service to the 

 country by the protection of these 

 forests." 



Governor Craig hits the nail on the 

 head in his last sentence. Furthermore 

 it is the duty of the Government to 

 provide for the future welfare of the 

 people and it can perform no more 

 valuable service than by providing for 

 the protection of these forests lands 

 such protection indeed is vitally im- 

 portant, and should not be delayed. 



Governor Rolland H. Spaulding of 

 New Hampshire not only approves of 

 what purchases have been made in his 

 State but advocates further purchases 

 without delay. He says to American 

 Forestry : 



"I am glad to accede to your request 

 for an expression of opinion, personal 

 and official, as to the necessity for 

 acquiring more Federal Forest Reserves 

 in the White Mountains. 



"The importance of protecting the 

 forest covering at the sources, in the 

 New England region, of our chief New 

 England rivers, is daily becoming more 

 evident and more widely appreciated. 

 Purchases of land already made for 

 Federal Forest Reserves in this territory 

 have been wise and timely, but in- 

 sufficient. For the sake of economy in 



