These reasons for national action were reinforced by cer- 

 tain special considerations. New Hampshire, a State without 

 great cities or extensive manufacturing districts, lacked the 

 wealth which would have permittted it to assume without 

 heavy sacrifice the burden involved in acquiring promptly 

 and protecting adequately the White Mountain lands. Con- 

 ditions had, however, reached a point which made it plain 

 that if the forests were to be saved immediate action was 

 necessary. The lumbering of the higher and steeper slopes 

 was beginning, with spectacularly ruinous results. On these 

 slopes, which were generally covered by pure stands of spruce, 

 the almost inevitable fires after lumbering left little in their 

 wake but bare rock; for the slash was both heavy and inflam- 

 mable, and the soil itself so largely made up of vegetable mat- 

 ter that neither living trees nor seed on or in the ground nor 

 anything in which trees could grow was likely to be left behind. 



The beginning of the remedial action was delayed for a 

 time after the enactment of the Weeks Law by the careful 

 safeguards embodied in the Law itself, to prevent ill-con- 

 sidered purchases. Under these safeguards the Government 

 has proved a good buyer, and it is believed that the lands 

 could undoubtedly be sold again for more than they cost, were 

 it desired to dispose of them. Thus the fears formerly ex- 

 pressed in some quarters that a purchase law would permit 

 private owners to unload on the Government on terms more 

 advantageous to themselves than to the public have proved 

 unfounded. The first purchases in the White Mountains 

 were made in 19 13. As soon as the Government began to 

 take title, plans for administration became necessary. Thus 

 public ownership entered upon its final stage — that of or- 

 ganization and development on constructive lines. 



The first requisite was fire protection. Organization of 

 the territory into districts, each in charge of a forest officer, 

 provides the necessary leadership. Fire fighting in the woods 

 is a matter in which the men of the Forest Service have become 

 proficient through long experience. It was a simple matter 

 to adapt to local conditions the methods which had been 



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