38 



THE UTILITY OF FORESTS. 



Hunting and Fishing. 



Some persons prefer the recreation found in hunting and 

 fishing to any other. The 1,000 visitors to the national forests 

 of Alaska in 1909 all went for this purpose. Hunting, fishing 

 and trapping are among the finest forms of recreation. They 

 furnish a mental excitement which diverts the thoughts com- 

 pletely from previous occupations^ and takes the follower of 

 game or the fisherman into the regions farthest removed from 

 the influences which disturb his rest. 



The large number of hunter's licenses issued from the Coun- 

 ty Clerks' offices and the numerous fishing and hunting permits 

 granted by owners of forest land in West Virginia during the 

 past two seasons, are evidences that the people of West Vir- 

 ginia are lovers of these sports. It is a lamentable fact, how- 

 ever, that the game has been so greatly reduced by careless and 

 unlawful hunting and by forest fires, and that the fish have 

 been killed by the pollution and drying up of streams to such 

 an extent that these innocent sports have lost much of their 

 former attraction. 



The economic side of the forests of West Virginia as places 

 of recreation is set forth in the report before quoted from as 

 follows : 



"A country's natural scenery may have a good deal more 

 than an esthetic value. It may be worth money, and from a 

 business standpoint its care and improvement is frequently of 

 great importance. Fifty million dollars go into Switzerland 

 every year to pay the board and traveling expenses of foreign- 

 ers who journey there for pleasure and recreation. The 

 money thus brought into the country constitutes a large part of 

 the income of the people. Nature gave fine scenery and pleasing 

 summer climate to Switzerland, and the natives have built the 

 best and most picturesque roads in Europe to make travel easy 

 and exhilerating. Excellent hotels offer attractive accommoda- 

 tions. People go there to spend their money, and depart with 

 the feeling that their money was well spent. Scenery and re- 

 sorts pay in that country. 



''The people of Maine have found ways to make money out 

 of their woods, lakes, rivers and summer hotels. Fishermen and 



