The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1901-12-06

alton and maintenance Of the national
wealth is now more fully realized than
ever before.
Wise forest protection does not mean
the withdrawal OF forest resources.
whether of wood. water or grass from
contributing their full share TO the well
fare OF the people. but. on the contrary.
gives the assurance of larger and more
certain supplies The fundamental idea
OF forestry is the perpetuation of forests
by use. Forest protection is not an enc
of itself. il is a means to Increase ana
sustain the resources of our country ana
the industries which depend upon them
The preservation of our forests is an inn
perative business necessity We have
come to see clearly that whatever de-
stroys the forest except to make way for
agriculture threatens our well being.
The practical usefulness OF the national
forest reserves to the mining. grazing. ir-
rigation and other interests of the regions
in which the reserves lie has led to
widespread demand by the people or the
west for their protection and extension
The forest reserves will inevitably be or
still greater use in the future than In the
past. Additions should be made to them
whenever practicable. and their useful
ness should be increased by thoroughly
businesslike management
At present the protection of the forest
reserves rests with the general land office.
the mapping and description OF their tim
Der with the United States geological sur
vey and the preparation OF plans for their
conservative use with the burteau of for
estry. which is also charged with the gen
eral advancement of practical forestry in
the United States These various ftInc-
tons should be united In the bureau or
forestry. to which they properly belong.
The present diffusion OF responsibility IS
bad from every standpoint IL prevents
that effective cooperation between the
government and the men who utilize the
resources of the reserves without which
the interests OF both must suffer. The
scientific bureaus generally should be put
under the department of agriculture. The
president should have by law the power
OF transferring lands for use as forest re-
serves to the department of agriculture.
He already has such power I'm the case OF
lands needed by the departments Of war
and the navy.
The wise administration of the forest
reserves will be not less helpful to the in
terests which depend on water than to
those which depend on wood and grass
The water supply itself depends upon the
forest. In the arid region IL is water. not
land. which measures production. The
western half OF the United States would
sustain a population greater than that OF
our whole country today IL the waters
that now run 10 waste were saved and
used for irrigation. The forest and water
problems are perhaps the most vital in
ternal questions of the United States.
Certain OF the forest reserves should
also be made preserves for the wild forest
creatures. All of the reserves should be
better protected from fires Many of them
need special protection because of the
great injury done by live stock. above all
by sheep The increase in deer. elk and
other animals in the Yellowstone park
shows what may be expected when other
mountain forests are properly protected ,
by law and properly guarded. Some OF
these areas have been so denuded OF sur
face vegetation by overgrazing that the |
ground breeding birds. including grouse |
and quail. and many mammals. including |
deer. have been exterminated or driven |
away At the same time the water stor- |
ing capacity Of the surface has been de- |
creased or destroyed thus promoting /
foods in times of rain and diminishing the |
flow of streams between rains.
In cases where natural conditions have |
been restored for "a few years vegetation /
has again carpeted the ground. birds and |
deer are coming back. and hundreds OF J
persons. especially from the immediate |
neighborhood come each summer to en-
Joy the privilege of camping Some at |
least OF the forest reserves should afford |
protection to the native fauna
and fora. safe Ravens of refuge to our |
rapidly diminishing wild animals of the
arger kinds and free camping grounds for
the ever increasing numbers of men and
women who have learned 10 find rest.
health and recreation in the splendid for
,sts and flower clad meadows of our
The forest reserves should be
set apart forever for the use and benefit
" our people as a whole and not sacrificed /
10 the shortsighted greed of a few.