Ame:rican F'or^st Congress 305 



mountain streams, seriously check their flow and will 

 in time cause their disappearance. 



"Before these fields were shorn and tilled, 

 Full to the brim our rivers flowed. 

 The melody of waters filled 



The fresh and boundless wood. 

 And torrents dash'd and rivulets played. 

 And fountains spouted in the shade." 



The dearly bought lessons of the East should be 

 heeded by the West. 



The benefits derived by the stream from the forest 

 are amply repaid by the increase of life-giving moisture 

 in the air and soil. The stream is also a friend in need 

 to the forest when attacked by its arch enemy, fire. 



It follows, then, that the forest and stream are de- 

 pendent each upon the other and successful mining 

 upon both. The dependency of the mine upon the 

 forest having been established, the question arises, 

 What is the best plan for securing a permanent supply 

 of the necessary timber ? My reply is : intelligent and 

 practical forestry which can best be obtained under 

 forest reservation administered with business-like 

 methods. That the cutting of timber upon the public 

 domain should be permitted only under wise legisla- 

 tion is a self-evident fact, approved of by every one 

 acquainted with the subject. When no restrictions 

 were placed upon it, these cuttings have nearly all 

 resulted in the total disappearance of the forest. To 

 prevent future destruction, forest reserves have been 

 established and to them should be given the same man- 

 agement that a prudent merchant accords to his busi- 

 ness. No wise merchant would hold his goods until 

 shopworn and old, neither would he dispose of all of 

 them without taking the necessary steps to replenish 



