324 Proceedings oe the 



mining camp, are, as before stated, prone to extrava- 

 gance in the use of timber and to be careless in their 

 methods. After a few years of such work, the in- 

 creasing cost of forest products and the rapid diminu- 

 tion of the supply arouse consumers to their early 

 folly, and stir them to an appreciation of conservative 

 forest methods and to the importance of enforcing 

 them. 



But at this stage, proper protection of the young 

 growth is most difficult. The needs of the consumers 

 prompt the cutting of immature trees for all purposes 

 where such timber can be utilized ; and to withhold such 

 material is, under the circumstances, looked upon as 

 a hardship. Large areas are now in process of refor- 

 estation around many mining camps, where repeated 

 fires, following in the wake of choppers, have cleared 

 off the remnants of the original forest and also de- 

 stroyed one or more second crops that have sprung up. 

 The present growth is frequently sparse in conse- 

 quence ; but it is usually largely composed of lodgepole 

 pine, a variety of timber fortunately well suited to 

 many of the miner's purposes when it is mature, but 

 not calculated for any other use than lagging when in 

 the sapling stage. This timber, too, is largely a pre- 

 paratory crop, which nature provides to fit ares 

 that have been devastated by fires for the growth of 

 other and more valuable varieties of timber. This is 

 a critical time in the process of reforestation, and it 

 occurs just when the miner is experiencing the first 

 pinch of timber famine, and he looks with longing upon 

 the growing trees that might be employed as a make- 

 shift to tide over present difficulties ; hence, the 

 apparent hardship. A comprehensive view of the 

 situation will convince him that the ultimate good of 

 the industry he represents will be advanced by prac- 



