92 OUR FEDERAL LANDS 



white pine because of the great part it played in the 

 development of the young nation. Easily lumbered, 

 easily sawed and handled, heavy-trunked, strong yet 

 yielding to the tool, clean, white, straight-grained 

 and plentiful, it roofed the young nation and for 

 many years was one of its principal commodities in 

 domestic and foreign trade. One of the most beau- 

 tiful of trees individually and in stands, its loss to 

 the landscape also is very great. Young white pines 

 are growing lustily to-day in many limited areas 

 which have been spared by civilization's encroach- 

 ments, but it will take many years to produce giants 

 like those of old, and it is probable that high quality 

 white pine, once cheapest of lumber, will always re- 

 main as to-day the costliest. Its native lands are 

 now waste lands, farms, villages, and cities. 



The greatness and the glory of our vast east- 

 ern forest have passed forever, but fortunately we 

 can see to-day, and posterity can see, examples of it 

 in something of its pristine loveliness preserved in 

 areas which fortuitously have escaped the swirling 

 currents of civilization as islands the rising tide. In 

 Cook County in western Pennsylvania, for example, 

 several thousand acres of noble white pine have been 

 held safe in a private estate, which is now the prized 

 property of Pennsylvania. Also, in the area chosen 

 for the Great Smokies National Parks on the crest 

 of the Southern Appalachians, there are many thou- 

 sands of acres of original forest untouched by the 

 axe, which will pass on as perpetual exhibits. Also 



