MAINTAINING THE CLIMAX 



99 



(1) Whenever possible, the loosing of violent natural forces must 

 be prevented. 



(2) Reserves of nutrients, moisture and shelter must be main- 

 tained. Reserves of breeding stock are essential. 



(3) If individual quality is desired, population must be adjusted 

 to resources. 



(4) Living standard must be adjusted to resource income. 



(5) In altering land use from its natural state, a substitute clu 

 max must be used. 



Let us consider these five principles : 



Avoid Violent Reactions. If the total energy of a reaction can be 

 diffused through a greater mass of matter or over a longer period of 

 time, its violence is reduced ; if the cause of the reaction is eliminated, 

 there will, of course, be no reaction. 



The violence of a reaction is relative. From the viewpoint of hu- 

 man culture, even the span of a man's life is questionable as the unit 

 of time to be used as a category. Any destructive reaction on the land- 



FIG. 53. Insult added to Iowa injury. Among civilized people it is considered 

 poor form, to stomp on an opponent when he is down. This field is getting no 

 mercy. The original prairie grasses here were several feet tall, making erosion 

 impossible. The virgin, black soil was among the world's best. Wildlife was 



plentiful. Today .... 



