24 MISC. PUBLICATION 16 2, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



OTHER ENEMIES 



Animals grazing in the woods can do serious damage to both the 

 mature trees and the young growth. The older trees may be injured 

 by having their roots trampled and wounded and by having the soil 

 around them compacted to such an extent that it is nearly impervious 

 to water. Young growth is often entirely destroyed. Cattle, horses, 

 sheep, and goats browse young seedlings, particularly the hardwoods, 

 trample them down, or brush against them and break them. Hogs 

 eat the seed of certain trees and thus prevent new growth from start- 

 ing. They actually root pine seedlings out of the ground and eat 

 the fleshy covering of the roots. Grazing in woodlands should there- 

 fore be carefully regulated if the stand is to remain productive. 



In localities where trees are shallow rooted, or the ground is soft 

 because it is soaked with water, or where the trees have been weak- 

 ened by fire or other agencies, windstorms can cause extensive dam- 

 age. A bad blow down may become a fire menace, as well as a waste 

 of valuable timber. 



Snow may also be very harmful, especially to young trees. It 

 often loads them down, breaks, or deforms them, especially if wet 

 snow falls heavily before the broadleaf trees have shed their foliage 

 in the fall. In many regions, however, snow T is so useful in protect- 

 ing the soil and the young trees that the harm it does is offset by its 

 benefits. 



FORESTRY IN THE UNITED STATES 



WHAT FORESTRY IS 



Forestry is the handling of forest land in such a way that it will 

 raise repeated crops of timber and will exert to the fullest the bene- 

 ficial influences of the healthy forest on soil and stream flow, on wild 

 life and human life. Lands that can best produce forest crops 

 should be kept at work growing trees. 



The forester endeavors not merely to grow repeated crops of tim- 

 ber on the land ; he endeavors to grow the greatest possible amount 

 of timber of the most valuable kinds. He also studies how to harvest 

 the timber to the best advantage. He is careful in harvesting to 

 get all the good timber possible out of each tree by cutting low 

 stumps and using as much of the tops as he can, to leave the slash in 

 such condition that there will be the least possible danger of fire. 

 and to leave young trees and seed trees for a new crop (fig. 15). 



While growing timber crops, the forester does not neglect other 

 benefits of the forest. He sees to it that, so far as possible, the 

 value of the forest for protecting water supplies, for preventing the 

 washing away of soil, for recreation, and as a home for wild life is 

 not diminished. 



FEDERAL FORESTRY 



Forestry work by the Federal Government had its beginning in 

 1876, when an agent was appointed in the Department of Agricul- 

 ture to study general forest conditions. In 1881 a division of for- 

 estry was created, but it was little more than a source of informa- 

 tion and advice. 



In these early years the forests on the public domain had no pro- 

 tection and in the latter part of the last century were threatened 

 with extinction by fire and reckless cutting. Congress -ought to 





