The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

to protect the timber upon the entire pub
lie domain, examine swamp lands and in
vestigate fraudulent land titles. Here is
an opportunity for the California repre-
sentatives at Washington to do the cause
OF forestry, not only in the State but else
where a real service in securing the enact
ment of wise legislation to introduce for
estry methods in the care and protection
OF these reservations. But will they do it?
Now that the Washington Government
has direct interest in the National parks
and forest reservations in California the
cooperation OF State and Federal author
ity in an endeavor to secure q forestry syS-
TEN that shall be Of service is made more
feasible. In q general way the State
should deal in an educational way with
the introduction OF desirable forest trees
from other countries calculated to do well
under the varying conditions prevailing
here, while the National authority should
be exercised in conserving and protecting
the forest lands still in its possession.
The chief points in maintaining Califor-
MAS native forests and extending tree
planting. generally may be briefly sum
married. as follows: First-The preserva-
range and the Sierras; second, the intro
ducticn of valuable hard woods; third, the
growing of forests on alkaii soils not gen.
orally useful for agriculture, and fourth,
the maintenance of our coniferous forests.
Our superb climates and soils make posi-
bic the production Of forests and planta-
tions valuable for their medicinal proper
ties, essential oils, ta1nic acids. and in fact
a large percentage of the many articles used
in the arts and sciences.
The State enjoys two forestry stations,
one at Chico and one at Santa Monica,
that are doing a good work on the lines
above indicated and will undoubtedly form
the nucleus of CALIFORNIA; future forestry
system. Many new varieties OF forest
trees are being experimental with and
much of value to the tree planter has al
ready been accomplished. These two sta
tions being in direct touch with the United
States Experiment Station and the State
University, form an interesting link be-
tween Federal and State authority when
scientific forestry shall became an estab-
lished fact.
In the way OF private enterprises in
forest planting and forest management
mention must be made OF the Biltmore
forest of George w. Vanderbilt, in North
Carolina. The results so far attained
(under much more adverse conditions
than prevail in the wooded and brush
lands of this State). after three years.
work, have been satisfactory as regards
the forest itself and the returns and ex-
penses in money. It's area comprises
1882 acres, 1891 of which are wood land.
The accompanying illustrations are sug-
gestive as giving an insight to the ordi-
nary reader as to what is meant by forest
management and forest maintenance.
There are already strong indications that
the public conscience is being awakened
on this important question, and that be-
fore the close of the nineteenth century
we may witness the Inauguration of
wise system of forestry in California,
wherein the National and State interests
shall be linked together, 10 the end that
our forests shall be maintained and our
arboreal wealth enhanced and enlarged in
every way. Every one that has read the
.sHeart of Mid Lothian" will remember
the following sentence: "Jock, when We
haze nothing else to do We may be aye
sticking in tree, it will be growing, Jock,
when yere sleeping. Let us all empha-
size the advice to jock to "be stickin' in
tree" for in California we do not have to
wait for posterity to reap benefit there
from-our eucalyptus are giants when but
8 to 10 years old.
4, N KA>vA4lsr.a7