34 ANNUAL REPORT OF 



the ten million acres of state forest on non-agricultural 

 land in the states of Germany yield an aggregate annual 

 net revenue of #23,000,000, the forest remaining unim- 

 paired. With the increase of population the value of 

 American forest products will rise; but of course it will be 

 a long time before a forest in this country, even under 

 scientific management, will yield the revenue it does in 

 the densely peopled states of Europe. This park is de- 

 manded for the science of forestry; and Minnesota having 

 herself expended over half a million dollars the past 

 twenty-six years in bounties for tree planting, is in a posi- 

 tion to ask for it, especially as it will be in the nature of a 

 wise investment by the general government. 



Second — A second reason for establishing the park is, 

 the sanitary benefits which its pine woods will afford. 

 Forest air, like sea air, is much richer in ozone than the 

 air of open country. ' ' The sanitary value of our forests, " 

 says the report of the New York commission of 1885, 

 headed by Prof. Charles S. Sargent, "cannot be overes- 

 timated. In addition to their furnishing a summer resort 

 for the overcrowded population of our towns and cities, a 

 place where rest, recuperation and vigor may be gained 

 by our highly nervous and overworked people, the health 

 ful and purifying influence of coniferous forests has been 

 thoroughly established. The belief that the atmosphere 

 of evergreen forests has a curative effect upon persons 

 suffering from pulmonary phthisis is a very old one. Sci- 

 entific evidence shows that 25 per cent of the patients 

 sent to the Adirondacks suffering from incipient consump- 

 tion come back cured." Committees of both the state 

 medical societies of Minnesota have visited the proposed 

 park and strongly recommend its acquisition for a public 

 sanitarium. It would benefit the great mass of people 

 who are unable to journey out of the state for health and 

 recreation. Under national government management 

 people could put up theit temporary shelter in its limits 



