The San Francisco call., 1895-12-22

in depth, composed largely of the resinous
needles and cones of the pines. In the dry
season all this is nearly as quickly in
fammable as powder. Those in charge of
the valley, restrained from clearing it,
from renewing its primitive beauties, by
the reckless criticism directed against
them in the press and by magazine writers,
go through every summer in fear of
general confagration, which, if it ever
occurs, will wipe out the forests and prob
ably destroy every building in the grant.
Recession to the Federal Government is
no remedy, it offers no safeguard. Upon
the Federal reservations outside the valley
the same causes are accumulating to bring
final destruction. The underbrush is
ing, each seasons crop OF dry grass, neither
cropped by stock nor consumed by fire, is
added to the means of spreading forest
conhagration. If we need an example
recent enough to be impressive, it is fur
nished by the Yellowstone Park. Within
very few years it was taken
under Federal management Immediately
forests filled with game. Buffalo, elk,
moose, deer, wild sheep and goats
abounded. Cavalry troops OF the regular
army were stationed to guard and police
it, and a Federal superintendent took
charge. The troops no doubt did their
duty as well as they could, and party poll
ticiaEs who succeeded each other in the
SUPERINTENDENT tried to do theirs But
the record of the Yellowstone, as it ap-
pears in the annual reports of the Interior
Department, is sad story of waste and
destruction. Secretary Noble reported that
in one season sixty fires swept the forests
of that park, and he adds that as they
were uncomfortable they were permitted
to burn themselves out. In the same re-
port he becomes cheerful as to the future,
for he says he has sent water-cart to the
fires that may occur.
Under date of December s. 1895, an
official sent to investigate by authority the
condition of the wild game in the Yellow
stone Park, reported:
'If the present rate at which the wild
animals in the National Park are being
killed is continued, it will not be MANY
months ere that beautiful park will have
lost all its larger game. The wholesale
slaughter demon strates that the officers
and soldiers put there TO guard and pro-
tect the animals are either incompetent
or unable to do the work" 1t is useless
to rail at the soldiers or superintendents,
as by and by it will be unwise to accuse
the troops which patrol the mountain res
ervations of California when their strict
performance of their duty will be testified
to by a general confagration, lighted in
the results of their care and destructive Of
the very forests they have guarded
If our system OF government is found
adaptable thereto We should begin now
the intelligent care OF these forests and
enforce it by law. They should be cleared
of all underground except the necessary
growing crop of trees which will replace
those to be harvested az they ripen. The
duff and dry grass should be carefully
burned every year. Swine may be use
fully introduced. as in Europe. wherever
they can live on roots and mast, for they
destroy many enemies of growing trees
which burrow in the ground or crawl on
its surface. Insect-eating birds should be
encouraged and politicians discouraged.
In short, military patrol not only does not
preserve forests, but prepares them for de-
struction. 1t must be supplemented by an