162 Journal of the Mitchell Society. \J)cc. 



found anywhere on the American Continent for it is here that 

 there is an intermingling of the sylvaof the north and south. 

 Here trees that are common to New England are found in 

 close proximity to those that are common to the more South- 

 ern States. Here is the largest area of virgin forests to be 

 found in the Southern Appalachian region. Here are trees 

 from rive to ten fleet in diameter which often tower to a 

 height of 140 feet. The destruction of such a forest would 

 be an almost irreparable loss, for once destroyed it would 

 take generations for its restoration, with a great probability 

 of failure; and then again the chances are that it would not 

 be attempted. 



These areas of timber are being rapidly acquired by those 

 whose one object is to make the most profit possible out of 

 them at the present time with no thought for the future. 

 Many of the older countries, as Germany and England, have 

 suffered to such an extent by the destruction of their forests 

 that they, especially Germany, have begun already to take 

 measures to preserve their forests and to make them such 

 that they will be a constant source of lumber, and Germany 

 has shown that by her system these forest reserves become 

 self-supporting. England has become so depleted of her tim- 

 ber that she is obliged to import the greater part of her lum- 

 ber. 



The only remedy for the protection and preservation of our 

 forests is for the National Government to obtain possession 

 of them and to care for them by the application of scientific 

 methods. 



Such a forest reserve under the management of trained for- 

 est experts will demonstrate how these forests can be perpet- 

 uated and at the same time be made to pay. Such an exam- 

 ple will have an influence on the several States and individ- 

 uals by encouraging them to practice forestry and to use 

 those lands for growing timber that are more suited for this 

 purpose than for farming industries. It will be an object les- 



