WEST VIRGIXIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



'J 



through their sense of honor and obligation, and others through 

 their esthetic tastes. They were told that "The most impera- 

 tive duty of America is to save the forests;" that "It is un- 

 pardonable for the nation or the states to permit any further 

 cutting of timber save in accordance with a system which will 

 provide that the next generation shall see the timber increased 

 instead of diminished:'" that "The most terrible condition now 

 confronting our people is the failure to protect the great for- 

 est industries of our country:*" that ""A timber famine is one 

 of the inevitable events of the near future;"' and thousands of 

 similar truths, repeated by men of highest position and in- 

 fluence. 



There were some regions where conditions helped the 

 people to see their danger and to believe the principles that 

 were being advocated many years ago. so that it vras possible for 

 the (M3vernment and several of the states to begin and carry 

 on thi^ir important work without disapproval. As one success 

 after another has been achieved all have been made to see that 

 forestry is no longer in its experimental stage under any con- 

 dition : and that the results of intelligent and deteimined effort 

 for the betterment of forest conditions are no longer proble- 

 matic. The Forest Service is now regarded as one of the most 

 helpful branches of the Department of Agriculture. Its work 

 is important in nearly all sections of the Ignited States. 

 The (Tovernment Forests, scattered from ]\Iinnesota to Cali- 

 fornia and containing 190 million acres or more, are adjninis- 

 tered by the Forest Service officials. It co-operates with states 

 in forest investigations : it undertakes the study and solution 

 of forestry problems which are beyond the power of individ- 

 uals to handle without assistance : and it prepares and dis- 

 tributes a great A-ohmie of literature relating to every phase of 

 forestry. 



The actual achievement of objects by the Government and 

 by states has given weight to all that has been said, and has 

 hurried a widespread awakening. What the states are doing is 

 told in Chapter YII of this report. It is sufficient to say that 

 the states which have spent the largest sums and have laid the 

 most solid foundations for their forest policies are the ones 

 which have succeeded; and that there is not now the slightest 



