American Forest Congress 323 



camp is surrounded by denuded hills, and the miners 

 are face to face with the timber famine, the penalty 

 of their own thoughtless extravagance and careless- 

 ness. 



Another cause of destruction is the wanton burning 

 of forest cover where brush and other material impede 

 the hasty work of the prospector. Too often it occurs 

 that the prospector, his imagination fired by finding a 

 rich piece of float, without thought of the injury he 

 may do to others or even to himself, deliberately sets 

 fire to the forest to clear the ground and facilitate his 

 operations. Not only is immeasurable damage done 

 to the mining industry at large by such criminal prac- 

 tices, but the fire-bug is likely to render the mine, if 

 he discover one, wholly valueless, because of the de- 

 struction of timber on which successful operation of 

 the property may depend. 



It is useless to cite examples to illustrate what has 

 been said concerning the destruction of timber in the 

 vicinity of mining camps by prospectors. The expe- 

 rience of any practical miner is sufficient to prove the 

 correctness of what is stated. 



The preservation of the forests in a State of highest 

 continued production involves the economic use of 

 timber, encouragement and stimulation of reproduc- 

 tion, and protection from fire and spoliation. 



It frequently happens that mining properties are 

 found at altitudes where the better grades of timber 

 cannot grow. Such species as are adapted to these 

 high elevations rarely attain dimensions suitable for 

 ordinary commercial purposes; and again, too, the 

 stand is limited, so that he who appreciates the situa- 

 tion must realize the vital necessity of husbanding the 

 available supply. In spite of these conditions, how- 

 ever, miners, particularly in the boom days of any 



