THE FOREST PROBLEM. ~’ 152 
ials; it annually contributed its leaves to the accumulating soil; 
it harbored worms and other burrowing animals which brought 
fine soil-materials to the surface; and in its shelter the burden 
of dust-laden winds was deposited. So man thought that he saw 
alluring promise in the richness of the forest soil, and this 
coupled with the prospect of immediate gain from its products, 
led him to remove the forest. But an awakening has already 
come, and men realize that with the removal of the riches of the 
forest they also lose the richness of the soil, for the rains and 
melting snows quickly strip it from the hillsides. The land is 
then practically worthless, for it will make neither field nor 
pasture—it is fit only for growing trees, as it has grown trees 
in the past. Few counties in the state have suffered more than 
Winneshiek in this respect. The principal forest areas were in 
the roughest territory, unsuited to the ordinary purposes of 
agriculture. Man’s greed and thoughtlessness combined in many 
cases to strip the best, if not all, of the forest from these hill- 
sides, but this was not the gravest error, for if left to its own 
resources the forest would renew itself. But an attempt was 
made in many cases to cultivate or pasture the stripped areas, 
and this was done on the steepest slopes with uniformly dis- 
asterous results. More acres were cultivated that still. other 
acres might be secured, under the pretext that the children of 
the land-holder must not be left without inheritance. The desire 
for immediate gain was, however, responsible for this, for men 
had not yet learned that a growing forest is one of the most 
splendid legacies which they may leave to their children. The 
best of the legacy which we ourselves received has been dis- 
sipated, in Winneshiek county as elsewhere, but conditions for 
the renewal of the forest are here very favorable. There are 
three distinct forest areas in the county, drained respectively 
by the Upper Towa, the Turkey and the Yellow rivers. Of these 
the first is much the largest within the county, but all agree in 
having a relatively large amount of adjacent rough land, as has 
been noted. Much of this land is worthless, or at least of little 
value, for agricultural purposes, and it would entail but little 
present loss, and would vastly benefit posterity, if given over to 
the cultivation of timber. This would not require a large amount 
