CHIEF FIRE WARDEN. 127 



For other states, and preeminently for Minnesota, it is a state 

 problem of first importance. By far the larger portion of Minne- 

 sota, the prairies and the former hardwood belt, contain splendid 

 farm land. Clearing of hardwood land is still in progress, and we 

 can only hope that on every acre of fine soil the plow will soon 

 follow the axe. On such ground agriculture yields higher net 

 returns than timber growth, and a small wood lot on the farm is 

 all the settler should desire to maintain. The character of the 

 northeastern section (under northeastern section is understood the 

 corner north of the 47th degree of latitude and east of the g5th degree 

 of longitude) of Minnesota is entirely different. Farm land — 1 mean 

 farm land about as good as prairie land — is scarce. Corn is an 

 uncertain crop. Nature itself hajs designated the soil as poor by 

 raising a crop of pines oh the grouijd — pines making smaller de- 

 mands on the (fertility of the ground than hard woods. 



Stock pasture is possible in many sections; still the length and 

 severity of the winter, combined with the impossibility of raising 

 sufficient winter forage, prevent stock farming on a large scale. 

 Undoubtedly the most economic use to which the bulk of the north- 

 eastern section of Minnesota can be devoted, is forestry. There 

 is, of course, many a spot on which potatoes and vegetables can 

 be iraised and which allows of farming on a small scale. However, 

 unless the settler finds additional and remunerative work in the- 

 forest and a loc'al market for his field products in the logging camp, 

 the prospects for farming are gloomy. In the northeastern corner 

 of- Minnesota, as .far as the best use of the soil is concerned, forestry 

 must form the rule and farming the exception. 



In the south and west of Minnesota, agriculture is the best pos- 

 sible soil industry, almost to the exclusion of the forest. Between 

 the typical forest region of the northeast and the typical farm region 

 of the west and south, lies a strip where forestry and agriculture 

 should occupy equal shares of soil, always with a view of obtaining 

 the best economic result for the commonwealth. 



There is no doubt that gradually agriculture and forestry would 

 adjust themselves to their respective precincts if the latter were given 

 an equal chance in the hands of private individuals. Under the 

 conditions prevailing in North America, however, forestry is an in- 

 vestment not sought for by private enterprise. 



THE CAPITALIST AND FORESTRY. 



The reasons for capital failing to engage in forestry lie in the 

 danger from fire to which forests ' are exposed ; in overtaxation 



