48 PRACTICAL FOEESTKY. 



by the Government in bringing about the practice of forestry by 

 forest owners and in awakening the great lumber interests, as well as 

 the people in general, to the dangers of forest destruction. 



The forest reserves lie chiefly in high mountain regions. They are 

 62 in number, and cover an area (January 1, 1905) of 63,308,319 

 acres. They are useful first of all to protect the drainage basins of 

 streams used for irrigation, and especially the watersheds of the great 

 irrigation works which the Government is constructing under the 

 reclamation law, which was passed in 1902. This is their most 

 important use. Secondly, they supply grass and other forage for 

 many thousands of grazing animals during the summer, when the 

 lower ranges on the plains and deserts are barren and dry. Lastly, 

 they furnish a permanent supply of wood for the use of settlers, 

 miners, lumbermen, and other citizens. This is at present the least 

 important use of the reserves, but it will be of greater consequence 

 hereafter. The best way for the Government to promote each of 

 these three great uses is to protect the forest reserves from fire. 



State forestry. — ^Many of the States have taken great and 

 effective interest in forestry. Among those which have made most 

 progress are New York and Pennsylvania. New York has a state 

 forest preserve of 1,436,686 acres, and Peimsylvania one of 700,000 

 acres. Michigan, Minnesota, and other States are rapidly following 

 their example. 



In 1892 the first example of systematic forestry in the United States 

 was begun at Biltmore, in North Carolina. It is still in successful 

 operation. 



The first professional foresters in the United States were obliged to 

 go abroad for their training, but in 1898 professional forest schools 

 were established at Cornell University, in New York, and at BUtmore, 

 in North Carolina, and they were followed by the Yale Forest School 

 in 1900. Others have sprung up since. At present, thorough and 

 efficient training in professional forestry can be had in the United 

 States. 



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