Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-23
FOREST FIRES.

Great damage Is done to the forests
of our country every year by fire. EN-
amples can be seen everywhere of the
transformation of good timber lands
into barren and brush lands through
this agency. Thousands of acres of
land which We're formerly covered with
heavy forests have been cut over by
the lumbermen with no view TO secur-
ing future crops OF TIMBER the tops
and refuse have been left scattered
over the ground, and sooner or later
fire would burn over the tract, with
the result that all OF the young trees
which remained after the cutting would
be destroyed; no large trees which
would furnish seed having been left
In the cutting, there is no chance for
natural reproduction of the forest and
the lands either remain barren or are
afterwards covered with growth Of
brush and win remain In this condi-
ton until forest trees are again planted
You have portion Of this class of
land In the mountains of Utah which
need to be properly cared for to restore
them to their former usefulness
HOW THEY START.
The origin OF these fires is due large
ly to carelessness on the part of the
people, A very large proportion of for
est fires are started by camp fires left
burning by prospectors. stock men, and
campers, who could with very little
trouble have eXtinguished the fire be-
fore leaving their camps. AS people
gradually realize the beneficial results
OF protecting the forest, they will be-
come more careful In regard to fires,
ana much OF this unnecessary destruc-
tlon viii be prevented The law I'm re-
gard TO setting out forest fires is very
strict and the penalty severe In the
forest reserves the system Of patrol by
forest rangers has resulted IN a mark
ed decrease IN the number of fires
and the saving OF a vast amount Of
public property
TIMBER GETTING SCARCE.
The nnbermen Of the United states
are fast realizing that there is q grow
ing scarcity Of timber and that differ
ent methods Of cutting and more
economical use OF the forest crop must
be adopted. In the mill and In the
forest skillful management IL neces-
sary 10 insure the profit and perman-
enco OF the lumber industry. This
places the lumberman IN close touch
80" Wv i'iNottt ahu VIII result IN
large areas Of timber land IN private
ownership being handled under q sys-
tenn which VIII insure the harvesting
OF continuous crops OF timber.
WHAT Is ALLOWED.
In the forest reserves the cutting
OF mature timber and using OF dead
and down timber win be allowed under
regulations which provides for the free
use OF timber by settlers. farmers. pros-
pectors, and others, residing within or
IN the neighborhood OF the reserves. and
the sale of timber in large quartltias
10 sawmills, mining companies. etc
whenever the removal of such timber
VIII not be detrimental 20 the fores.
Ample means are thus provided for se-
curing such timber and hreUood "a ls
needed by the people,and tn the develop
ment OF the resources Of the country.
STOCK PAsTuRAGE
In the matter OF pasmring livestock
upon the forest reserves. IL WIZ he the
policy of the government to utilize the
forage crop which grows upon the lands
by allowing as many cattle. horses, and
sheep to be paarured upon the reserves
a. the lands viii support without In
jury to the forests and water supply.
RANGES ovERsToCKED.
In some places the ranges have been
overlooked to such an extent that their
carrying capacity has been greatly dim-
lnished, and the prosperity OF .the live
stock Industry thus seriously injured.