The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-14
Hon. Abbot Kinney Writes An
interesting Letter
TO COL. GEORGE H. WENDELL
About Forestry aud Its Two Main
Objects
European Forest Systems-A Plan for .
Forest Systsm In the United States.
Using the Army

The following letter recently written
by Hon. Abbot Kinney to Col. George
II. Mendell, u. S. A., regarding forestry,
constitutes an exceedingly interesting
dissertation on the subject treated. Mr..
kinney has attained a national reputa-
ton as an authority on forestry and the
views he expresses are the products of
careful and comprehensive study of the
matter. Forestry has of late years re-
ceived widespread attention in the
United States, the Importance of pre-
serving the forest resources of the coun-
try becoming plainly apparent TO
thoughtful and observant people. MIR.
Kinney's letter will repay perusal by
both those who have been interested in
forestry and those who have hitherto
bestowed little consideration on the
subject. The letter is as follows
Colonel G. TT. Mendell, San Francisco,
Cal.-Dear Sir:
In reply to your request Of April 18th
present the following views on the inn
portant question of the management OF
the government lands in forest:
FORESTRY
Forestry has two main objects. One
is to secure merchantable products
Among these we may mention tan bark,
resins, gums, medicines. fuel and es-
pecially timber. Incidentally food may
be an important forest product. as In
fish and game, or In a minor way, in
such products as truftles. nuts, wild
fruits, etc. All systems Of management
of forests unite in the policy of 50 man
aging forest crops as to secure reliable
renewals, and also aim to preserve the
general integrity of the forests. 1t has
been deemed wise in nearly all civilized
nations to maintain in forest an area
sufficient to supply as much as possible
Of the forest products required for the
uses Of the nation and of its people.
The other great object Of forestry Is
60 preserve such areas in forest as are
considered essential to mitigate or pre-
vent dangerous climatic extremes. and
especially to preserve such areas IN Tor
est as are necessary for the highest
utility of springs and streams. ana to
prevent undue forest denudation where
by destructive torrents are increasd or
created.
EUROPEAN FORESTRY
Every important European nation has
q system of forest management. COW
ing to its peculiar climate and position
the English forest school ana forest
system deals with the British Dependent
cies, mainly India.) Europe at large
owes its present forest area principally
to the hunting preserves of the military
chiefs Of the feudal ages. Their present
general system of forest management
maintains a military base of organiza-
ton. The development of modern ten
denotes in political government for the
clearly determined interests of the
whole people. has introduced the scien-
tlfic side of forest management. For
est courses of study are now an essential
part of every European forest system.
and forestry is a distinctly recognized
career. Nancy in France contains
great forest school for that nation,
which is deemed to be of an excellent
type to study.
We may say in general way of thd
European forest systems. that where
these are the best organized and man
aged, as in France and Germany, has
occurred the least loss Of perennial flow
in springs and streams, and the least
loss of agricultural land by flood and
torrent action, whereas, where the
where there has been no forest system.
as in Greece. Asia Minor, North Africa
ssa Spain, there has been the greatest
loss in perennial water flow and the
greatest loss of agricultural land
through flood action. The European
but European conditions are very diff
ferent from those of our western states
and territories. The forest laws and
systems of the principal countries of
Europe are set forth in certain consular
reports dealing with this subject OBJ
tained at my request through the cour-
tesy and public spirit of Hon. Thomas
r. Bayard, then secretary of state.
These reports are easily accessible in
the state department and in the library
of congress at Washington.
FORESTRY IN UNITED STATES
While there never has been any pub
lie forestry system, either state or ma
proper to speak of the distinguished
services of those who have so long and
SO persistently labored to attract the
attention Of the American people to this
great question. 1t is certainly due to
men like Franklin B. Hough, H. N. Egg
gleston, E. T. Ensign, John Muir, j.
Sterling Morton, Joaquin Miller, Prof.
Sargent and to many others, that for
estry work has been commenced in
many Of our states and inaugurated by
the nation itself. Among these workers
for an intelligent forestry management,
the present distinguished chief of the
division of forestry at Washington, Dr.
B. Il. Fernow, deserves especial praise.
I wish, indeed, that 1 could express to
each one of our forest workers in per-
son my appreciation and hearty ap-
prevail Of their patriotic work.
The nearest approach to forest sys-
tenn that we have had, and in fact the
only true commencement for one, is in
New York. where the state ownership
of forest lands has at last produced a
commission to manage them. From
this organization we may presume that
a complete forest system of manage
ment will be created. Both Colorado
and California have done something in
the way of state work in forestry. In
California there was for some years a.
state board of forestry. This board was
mainly educational 1t introduced
large number Of forest trees to the state,
accumulated about 100000 in property
and was finally wrecked on the rock of
political patronage.
The history of this board and of it's
work is instructive in several points.
Its forest map, with the kind and guam
tity of timber on each section of land in
the numbering districts, while it caused
a demand for the reports Zone sold as
high as $25), has Injured thus far only
to the advantage of timber men or of
spectators in timber lands. So also,
this boards illustrated reports, giving
for the first time distinct and separate
account botanical and popular, of the
forest flora of California, while in so
great a demand as to cause a reprint by
private enterprise, has been of no par
ticular advantage to forestry. It's seven
experimental stations have been re-
duced to two, and even these have been
absolutely useless since the boards po-
litical collapse.
It's officers prosecuted many forest fire
settlers without convicting one. It's COM
plete evidence from stumpage and mill
statistics of the timber thefts from the
state school sections 16 and SO in each
township were never even tried by the
states attorney general, but We're al
lowed to slip off into eternity under the
49, xxA