222 



WEST VIRGINIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



occupy the land left by the receding waters, 1 its struggle for 

 existence with the hardwoods and pine, and its final retreat to 

 the higher elevations where it occupied the land previously 

 held by the more hardy spruce and flrs, and while those that 

 remained on the lower elevations were giving up the land to 

 the victorious oak, yellow poplar, birch and hemlock, the main 

 body of the spruce finally held its own on the higher eleva- 

 tions until the advent of civilization, when it found a new 

 enemy in man, and through his influences in clearing the land, 

 in the resulting forest fires and insect invasions, we find it re- 

 duced to its present narrow bounds and mutilated condition, it 

 would appear that this remnant and living example of ,. the 

 greater primitive forest is destined to follow the prehistoric 

 races of men and animals which have long since been banished 

 from the land. 



Whether or not this theory of the history and progress of the 

 destruction of the spruce is correct it is at least suggestive of 

 the probable truth, and will indicate what its future will be un- 

 less the same influences, through the agency of man which 

 have brought about the greatest recent destructions, are con- 

 trolled and directed so as to bring about reversed results. Still 

 further evidences of the possible future condition of the region 

 may be had from the history of similar regions in some ol the 

 older countries of Europe, where a continued system of destruc- 

 tion of the forests with no attempt at systematic protection, or 

 renewal, has resulted in the transformation of rich and produc- 

 tive regions into desert wastes, and has, in some cases, even 

 contributed to the reduction of powerful and prosperous nations 

 to a condition of dependence and poverty. 



We also find abundant records of other examples in the 

 forest regions of Europe, where by a judicious and economic 

 system of management the timber on similar areas has been in- 

 creased and its productive capacity doubled, ana at the same 

 time has furnished continued and profitable returns in mer- 

 chantable products. As a consequence, the country main- 



1 According to Dr. I. C. White a large part of the low lauds of the State was inun- 

 dated during the ice age. 



