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vast natural resources of this country, the leading division of 

 same — being the conservation and protection of our forests and 

 timber. 



Experts calculate that at the present rate of cutting, the great 

 forest areas of the United States, will be almost exhausted in 

 twenty years. In view of this, the government has undertaken 

 the administration of the forests remaining on its land in the 

 "West, and has set apart more than 240,000 square miles of their 

 land for this purpose, which territory would make ten states the 

 size of "West Virginia, and will be used to grow timber for the 

 use of future generations. 



This land is divided into 159 tracts, called "National Forests", 

 the mature trees on these tracts being sold for lumber, the grow- 

 ing growth being protected from fire arid other destructive 

 agents, and thus — through this system, will reforest same, and 

 through this system is intended to grow crop after crop of tim- 

 ber, just the same as the farmer grows crops of corn or other 

 products. 



But large as the National Forest are, they are only a litle 

 more han one-fifth of the total forest area of the United States. 

 Where the government owns one acre of forest, private individ- 

 uals and companies own four ; so it can readily be seen that the 

 government cannot solve the whole problem. Private individuals, 

 companies and states must take up this work, for they own four- 

 fifths of all the timber of the United Sates. 



If the timber famine, which threatens the whole country, is to 

 be averted, then some system must be devised whereby private 

 individuals and companies must handle the proposition, as the 

 government is handling its forest land, by stopping needless 

 waste, cut mature trees only, let the saplings stand, and protect 

 same from fire. There are many things which are necessary and 

 important in the conservation of our forest areas, but protecting 

 them from fire, is the principle thing to be done, and, in fact, if 

 this is not done, other things will be of little avail. 



It cannot be denied — but that a state has the right, and it 

 might be urged, that it is the absolute duty of every state to take 

 this matter in hand and protect our great forests from fire, and 

 see that in other ways — they are not destroyed. Protection 

 against fire is a public necessity, and should not be left to the 

 care of private individuals. 



