THE BILTMORE FOREST FAIR 15 



tains by preventing erosion, by hording the moisture in wet 

 weather, and by forcing the raia to enter into the subsoil. 



The trees whilst living are the greatest consumers of water 

 on earth; the trees, when dead on the ground, are the greatest 

 water preservers. 



Stop the fire, William ! 



TJ_ U«» O Notice, please, that the Piaes prevail, gen- 



I IIJ PlUa V ^ *''^Wy, on .the ridge which_we traverse^ 



The Oaks form, usually,' an admixtuire 



ijjerely^Jp the Pines, keeping the Piaes free from limbs and shading 



the soil, to mutual advantage. 



In this proximity, I have made, between the years 1895 and 

 1907, a number of improvement cuttings, removing the fellows 

 which were "no good," and giving the promising boys more air 

 to breathe, more soil to suck, and more light to enjoy. 



The forest is a boarding house; whea some of the boarders 

 are gone, those remaining obtain more food to eat. 



On the average acre along this road, I have removed four 

 cords of wood in the course of twelve years. 



All of the trees removed were decayed, crooked, big-crowned, 

 fire-scarred. 



Notice, please, that there is left a huge number of poor, 

 ragged, measly, mis-shaped, dwarfy saplings. 



I have left them on purpose. These dwarfs are the servants 

 of the healthy, promising poles; they prevent the moisture of 

 the soil from evaporating; they furnish humus during their life 

 as well as after their death. 



It does not pay to remove these dwarfs; it does pay to re- 

 tain them. 



The future on this ridge belongs to the Pines, — not to the 

 Oaks. Prior to 1895, this ridge was burned over continuously; 

 after burning, it was used for the pasture of cattle. The good 

 Pines were used for lumber; the best of the hardwoods for firewood. 



In days to come I shall treat this ridge as a "composite for- 

 est," with the Pines standing in the upper story and the hard- 

 woods in the lower story.. 



Later on I. shall fell yoii more about It- . 



