CHAPTER XIX. 129 



Water Society is of the opinion tliat at ieast in all the arid district 

 where the great bulk of the remaining public land is, the public lands 

 should be managed as a unit. The mountain forest lands should be 

 considered as a reservoir system to store the rains, maintain springs 

 and prevent torrents. Reservoirs and irrigation should be developed 

 and paid for by the sale of the improved lands. All the public lands 

 fit for pasture should no longer go to the strongest and most violent 

 but be leased under proper rules to preserve the pasture, prevent 

 bloodshed, protect the forests and give some return to the people of 

 the United States who own them. The money available from such rents 

 is estimated to be, from the public lands in California alone, from 

 $250,000 to $500,000 a year. 



THE AUTHOR TO LAND COMMISSIONER AT WASHINGTON ON 

 FORESTRY SYSTEM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 



Oct. 9, 1899. — Hon. Binger Hermann, Land Commissioner, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. My Dear Sir. — Your kind favor of the 19th ult., re- 

 questing my suggestions on an improvement in the Forest Patrol sys- 

 tem, has been received. Your request is complied with in a separate 

 paper herewith enclosed. 



We all appreciate your interest in the forestry question. We also 

 appreciate at least in part the difficulties that surround the creation of 

 an efRci°,nt forest system. You have had to create a system fitted to 

 deal with very divergent conditions. This work had to be done without 

 previous American landmarks and under circumstances that made Eu- 

 ropean experiences of but small value. 



Lack of funds has also been a most serious handicap to your ef- 

 forts. 



The government under your administration of the Land Office has 

 accepted the responsibility of caring for and managing the government 

 forests. You have earnestly undertaken a great work, which will be 

 the starting of an epoch in the west. While we believe that the system 

 can be improved, it is a pleasure to say that the work in this section 

 has been better done this year than last. We desire to aid your great 

 work in all possible ways. Permit me to present two important con- 

 siderations in regard to Southern California forestry work: 



1st: Southern California conditions are different from those in 

 any other forest reserves 1n this country. The climate, topography 

 and industries here demand a care of the water-sheds nowhere else so 



