The Forester and His Work 99 



(191 1 ), forest officers killed nearly eight thou- 

 sand beasts of prey — mountain lions, wolves, 

 wildcats, bears, coyotes, and lynxes. 



In some parts of the Rocky Mountain states 

 it has been calculated that a single timber wolf 

 destroys about one thousand dollars' worth of 

 stock in a year, and that the value annually saved 

 to stockmen by forest service hunters amounts to 

 more than the grazing fees. 



In all the national forests, especially during the 

 summer months, there Is a constant and careful 

 lookout for the beginnings of fire. Men ride, 

 like Lancelot of old, overthwart and endwise, 

 patroling the woods, and men are stationed here 

 and there, on high open spots, looking over miles 

 of tree tops for rising smoke. 



Another work of the service is tree planting. 

 It has been demonstrated that if the country is to 

 be saved from a bad lumber famine, fifty-six mil- 

 lion acres of land, once covered with forest, must 

 become forest land again. About one-fifth of this 

 will grow trees of its own accord. All the rest 

 must be reforestized; man must start trees there 

 because nature cannot or will not. 



The Forest Service has tried many experiments 

 to find the best and cheapest method of reforest- 

 izing. 



When seeds of trees are sown broadcast over 

 the ground, a feast is spread for birds, squirrels, 

 chipmunks, and field mice, who flock to dinner 



