Reform in Forestry Methods 235 



by the orders, because the plan, as originally con- 

 ceived, was based on the old idea that preserving a 

 forest means refraining from utilizing it. No pro- 

 vision whatever was made in the original law for 

 the proper management of the forests so reserved. 

 In this the United States followed the policy 

 adopted by the States that had theretofore set 

 aside forest reserves. With no little show of rea- 

 son it could be said that the withdrawal of these 

 immense compact areas of land from settlement 

 interfered with the development of the States and 

 Territories in which they were situated. Large 

 portions of these States were thereby doomed to 

 remain in the condition of useless wilds. At first 

 no provision was made even for a proper policing 

 of the reservations against fire and thieves. But 

 this defect was remedied in 1 898 by the appropria- 

 tion of a moderate sum for the organization of a 

 police service. The land office, under the control 

 of which these reservations are placed, at once 

 established a service of fire rangers, and in the 

 very first season it was reported that the number 

 and destructiveness of fires in the reservations had 

 been greatly diminished, although the organization 

 was still admittedly imperfect. 



By the rules promulgated for the government of 

 the federal reservations all business interests estab- 

 lished within their limits are duly protected. Set- 

 tlers who had acquired possession of lands before 

 the tract was withdrawn from entry are allowed to 

 build roads and cut timber for domestic and farm 



