I do not know of a single place in America, where the sub- 

 altern staff of forestry, — the ranger and the fire warden, — 

 may receive its technical and scientific preparation. In ad- 

 dition, Berea does a world of good by impressing the moun- 

 tain-boy with the fact, that the young tree, — like the horse 

 colt, — has a value, although it is still unfit for use; 

 that it is wise to husband and protect a young tree, because 

 the young tree is apt to be serviceable at the time, at which , 

 the boy has developed into a man. 



„ .... Economically, the forestry problem is of 



Possibilities , . 



great importance to your state. About 



25,000,000 acres of Kentucky soil are still classed as wood- 

 lands. Under proper forestry, every acre of woodland pro- 

 duces annually 200 feetb.m., worth about 40cts. Thus your 

 25,000,000 acres could produce $10,000,000 per annum, a raw 

 production which offers the wage earner a chance of obtain- 

 ing $20,000,000 when the raw product is converted into fine 

 product. It looks as if it was advisable to spend a few 

 thousand dollars annually for the benefit of the forest when 

 such prospects are at stake. And those prospects are not of 

 a chimerical nature ! They cannot fail te realize, if a second 

 growth is allowed to spring up in our woods. The main 

 obstacle to a second growth are forest fires preying on the 

 young trees, which easily succumb to a conflagration, whilst 

 the old timber is fairly well protected against damage by a 

 fire proof armor of heavy bark enveloping the trunk. 



Some thirty years ago, forest fires were a 

 necessity; the tree like the rock, was an ob- 

 stacle to the plow, and its shade prevented the development 

 of field crops. The tree was a weed that had to be extir- 

 pated. The momentum of tradition is so strong amongst 

 our farming people living close to or in the midst of wood- 

 lands, that both school and legislature will have a hard task 

 when trying to end the antiquated practice of firing the 

 woods. Still, this firing of woods must be stopped, if forestal 

 investments shall have that degree of safety, which invites 

 capital to embark in an industrial enterprise. 



PICTURES FOREST FIRES IN THE SOUTH AND NORTH 



At Biltmore, unaided by legislative help, I am fighting 

 the mountaineer bitterly, who destroys or threatens to de- 



