THE SPRUCE INVESTIGATION. 223 



taining such a system has made rapid advancement in all of its 

 industries, and become influential and prosperous. 



History will doubtless repeat itself along one or the other of 

 these lines in the spruce area and other typical forest areas of 

 our State. Which one will be followed, and what the final 

 results will be, depends: FirstsUpon further investigations 

 within the near future by a commission of scientific and prac- 

 tical observers who are especially fitted for the purpose, to de- 

 termine biological, geological, agricultural, horticultural, com- 

 mercial, meterorological and entomological questions which 

 have a direct bearing upon the conditions and needs of this 

 and other distinctive forest areas of the State; Second, Upon 

 the interest the owner of the land and the general public will 

 take in an effort to introduce some practical system of forest 

 management, and the aid and encouragement a movement of 

 this kind will receive from them; Third, Upon the additional 

 aid and encouragement the State or general government will 

 extend in furthering the objects of such movements; Fourth, 

 Upon the individual owners of the land and the object and in- 

 terest they may manifest in the immediate or distant future; 

 whether through necessity or Otherwise, they deem it important 

 to avail themselves of present opportunties, and realize, to the 

 fullest extent, on their investments, regardless of future conse- 

 quences; or whether through an interest in posterity, in the 

 welfare of their State, or in future profits, it is their object to 

 perpetuate the wealth they possess in natural forest resources. 



COMMERCIAL INFLUENCE IN THEIR RELATION TO THE FUTURE OF THE 



SPRUCE AREA. 



The cutting of timber to be converted into merchantile pro- 

 ducts, the clearing of land for the purpose of obtaining mer- 

 chantable agricultural products, the opening of coal, iron and 

 other mines, the improvement of streams and the building of 

 railroads for the transportation of these various natural pro- 

 ducts to market, is exerting a marked influence upon the dis- 

 truction of the spruce. (Fig. XVIII.) 



The conversion of the forests into merchantable products ap- 



