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owners, sooner or later pass into the possession of those who, im- 

 patient to enjoy their value, and reckless of other considera- 

 tions, ruthlessly fell them. Much of the land thus bared is of 

 little value for any other purpose than the growth of wood, and 

 is usually so closely pastured by domestic animals as effectual- 

 ly to prevent a new growth of trees. 



In many of the older States the scarcity of timber is already 

 severely felt. Hills and mountains which, not many years 

 since were crowned with wood, now rear their heads in un- 

 sightly baldness ; and streams once affording permanent water 

 power have become useless for that purpose, or unreliable for a 

 great part of the year." 



In many foreign countries forests have been taken as the 

 property of the government as the only means of protecting 

 the country from wanton depredation. 



The authority given by last season's Legislature for this State 

 to become owners of woodlands and care for them is probably 

 the best plan to insure their proper treatment. 



The length of time required for the growth of timber from 

 the seed to maturity shows that it was never designed in the 

 order of nature for the exclusive use of a single generation. 



I should mention why the state of Maine needs least instruction 

 in forestry; it is because her prosperity being so dependent upon 

 the product of her forests it has been the study of her citizens 

 to keep them as continuous as possible. The European system 

 prevails there quite largely, " cutting only the large trees and 

 carefully protecting the rest, thus allowing the forests to be 

 profitably worked at periods of from fifteen to twenty-five years 

 apart, and thereby insuring their permanence. In this way, 

 considerable areas are covered with second-growth pine." 



