AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 123 



The exhibits in the great Forestry building, and its 

 outlying forest planting area, attracted widespread 

 attention and proved instructive to the lay observer; 

 but the lumbermen and their allies, the great lumber 

 consumers railroad lumber consumers, manufactur- 

 ing consumers, and the builders of great structures 

 while interested in these things, already more or less 

 familiar to them, found their inspiration and instruction 

 largely in the experimental station in the Mining Gulch 

 conducted by the Bureau of Forestry. Here were 

 congregated every day of the exposition the high 

 officials of the railroad companies, the great lumber 

 consumers, such as the proprietors of agricultural 

 implement works, hardwood consumers seeking sub- 

 stitutes for woods constantly enhancing in price, 

 manufacturers and users of the soft woods searching 

 for enlightenment on methods of preservation and 

 other economic questions. No more complete tribute 

 could have been paid to the work of the bureau and 

 possibly no better illustration can be cited of the change 

 in attitude toward practical forestry : 



I would not say to man : "Forbear 



To use the things God putteth here." 



I would not say to man : "Restrain 



Thy wish for wealth, thy greed for gain." 



But rather would I say to man : 



"Use its fruition of a plan ; 



Take then these gifts God giveth thee 



The golden fruit, the mighty tree, 



All pleasant things the fields produce 



And render them to proper use ; 



And, in return, one thing I ask, 



One simple, easy, proper task : 



That which from nature you efface 



With its own seedling life replace." 



