140 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



ofificials as state fire wardens, thus enabling them to extend their 

 jurisdiction over adjacent forested areas. 



Many of the reserves are at the present time in need of serious 

 attention. The policy of the government is to cut the timber, not 

 in the reserves containing the largest stand, but in those where 

 the need of the community is greatest and the market conse- 

 quently higher. Thus in the easternmost reserves there is a 

 steady demand for timber, which can be easily transported by 

 convenient railroads to the non-timbered regions still farther to 

 the eastward. On the other hand, the largest supplies are located 

 far to the west, in regions where there are also extensive private 

 holdings awaiting a market. As a result, these western reserves 

 contain a large amount of timber annually wasted through passing 

 its prime and undergoing decay. In California less than one half 

 of one per cent of the timber in the reserves of that state was 

 cut for sale in 1908. This is not a wise policy, and it is sure to 

 result in injury to the reserves. As soon as timber reaches a 

 marketable size the best forestry practice requires that it should 

 be removed to make way for younger growth. Thus the forest 

 is constantly renewed, and may be made to yield a good interest 

 on the national investment, the amount being increased by the sale 

 of stock-grazing permits and other privileges. There is reason 

 to believe that the sales of timber from the reserves will con- 

 stantly increase as the Department of Agriculture gains expe- 

 rience in the introduction of sound business methods, and it is a 

 fortunate circumstance that the law of 1905 to a large extent safe- 

 guards the reserves from the entry of speculative homestead 

 claims. It may be argued that the government should not enter 

 the lumber business, but should leave the exploiting of its timber- 

 lands to private owners. The obvious reply to this is that govern- 

 mental control alone will save the forests from immediate con- 

 version into cash and insure the preservation of forest products 

 for future generations. 



Reforestation is a subject of great importance, whether viewed 

 from the public or private standpoint. Modern forestry has 



