114 Proceedings of the 



reduced to the point where the natural annual increase 

 would not more than take care of the present and 

 prospective needs of the country, then values advanced 

 and the lumbermen have come to see some practicality 

 in the proposition that methods of forest preservation 

 should be introduced. 



Like all methods that effect great changes in society 

 or economics, the forestry idea in the United States 

 has been an evolution. It must be confessed that 

 foresters of the present day discard some theories 

 that were considered important by American forestry 

 experts of thirty years ago. 



There's that dear old rainfall theory once held in such 



esteem 

 By which a dampness was produced by such a simple 



scheme. 

 As Aaron smote the rock of old and found a water 



power 

 So might we plant a tamarack and start a summer 



shower. 

 Behold the forester of old, the optimistic fellah — 

 A planting trowel in one hand, in the other an umbrella. 



Our duty is not particularly to refrain from chop- 

 ping down trees ripe for the ax ,but to be active in 

 replacing them. Coincident with this duty is that of 

 cutting only mature timber, where that is possible, 

 and of guarding timber tracts from fires and other 

 destructive agencies that often are due to carelessness. 



There is nothing truer than the old saying that you 

 cannot eat your cake and have it, yet it never restrained 

 very many people from eating the cake, for the cake 

 must be eaten to be enjoyed. The thing to do is not 



