FUTURE OF FORESTRY 173 
Future Possibilities —This is the situation as it stands 
today. What does the future hold forth? Ags far 
as the Federal Government is concerned it is doubt- 
ful if there will be any large increase in the area of 
the National Forests in the Western States. In fact 
there is more likely to be a reduction, as future classi- 
fication may show the land to be suited to agriculture 
or special uses. In the Hast, however, the Forest 
Service may acquire considerable areas of land. In 
1910 Congress passed the Weeks Act which appro- 
priated $10,000,000 for the purchase during the suc- 
ceeding five years of lands upon the headwaters of 
navigable streams in the Eastern States and already 
over a million acres have been acquired under the 
terms of this law. It was felt that the matter of stream 
protection and the control of run-off could be managed 
better by the Federal Government than by the States, 
as a stream subject to flood and low-water stages may 
rise in one State and inflict its damage in another. 
According to the Weeks Act the Government will ac- 
quire land on important watersheds of the navigable 
streams with the idea of keeping the mountain slopes 
forever under forest cover and thus diminish fiood 
damage and increase the value of the inland water- 
ways to the States and nation. 
The function of the various State forestry depart- 
ments in the past has been largely educational for in 
most cases the State forests serve as experimental forests 
rather than forests operated for profit. The forester 
in charge has endeavored through lectures, bulletins 
and demonstrations to educate private owners and the 
general public concerning the need and possibilities of 
forestry. Plans for the management of woodlots are 
generally made free of charge and methods of cutting 
