The San Francisco call., 1904-09-11
Forestry Expert
Objects to Ways
of the Indians

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE. BUREAU OF
FORESTRY. SACRAMENTO, Sept. 2
1904.-Editor The Call: I noticed in this
mornings issue OF The Call your edito-
rial on forest preservation. which I in
fer was inspired by my letter in answer
to Mr.. Ostrander's suggestions for fire
protection published August %.
Nothing Is farther from my desire
than to seem prejudiced or antagonistie
in any way, but do want to call your
attention TO the injury which may re-
suit from such a general burning OF
the forests as you suggest
1 will preface by way OF explanation
by saying that graduated from for
estry college IN this country and have
studied the subject extensively abroad.
and speak not as a woodsman or ANA
teur. Moreover. I have been officially
engaged in studying the fire problem In
California for about a year, and have
Travelled through all OF the forested re-
gions OF the State
tions to the Indian practice Of firing
the woods Is uncalled for here. In brief
the results Of such a plan would be: Q)
Destruction OF all reproduction and
gradual thinning OF the forest by the
repeated burning out Of the large trees
at the base: (2) disappearance OF the
humus and litter. which is needed TO
conserve moisture and enrich the soil;
90 exposure OF the mineral soil 10
teaching and evasion; (D ascendancy
Of worthless brush over large areas
now under forest cover.
Young growth for at least the first
ten years Of its existence will be de-
stroyed by even the lightest ground
fire. For one result Of the old Indian
practice look at the great burns In the
bases of many Of the finest sugar and
yellow pines and at the great areas OF
chaparral around Lake Tahoe, In the
Shasta country and through the higher
Sierras generally. True, the Indian left
us the forests, but how much finer they
would have been If not thinned, Scared
and broken by the Indians fires.
Professional foresters. neither in this
country or abroad have never advocated
burning the virgin forest or the thick
cts of young growth. but, on the con-
trary. have found such fires the great
est bar to scientific forest management
The only burning advisable Is In
clearing I'D the debris left after lum-
bering Fire is not used at all IN the
European forests save in the most linn
tied way in burning brush, which IS
carefully piled. Instead a patrol sys-
/ TEN, backed by telephones and more
( favorable public sentiment. such as we
are trying to get here, is used in pre-
venting fire.
+ The case OF the Mariposa big tree
grove cited is quite apart from general
forest fire protection. 1t Is not an eco
nomic problem in that case, but purely
sentimental. and the aim merely pro-
lection Of a wonderful grove. There is
no need or desire for reproduction
there, and the area is small enough
so that it is practicable to use fire in
clearing up the ground. 1t Is. in short.
a LUXURY forest" while the main prob
lem is with the Commercial forest"
The great commercial forests OF the
State cannot possibly be held as mere
parks, but must be exploited, though II
possible with a view Of continuous
yield, and this is possible only by keep
ing out the fires which destroy the re-
production
I shall be very glad to give you mat
ter for publication on the work we are
doing in the forests OF the State. and
you can do much to swing public senti-
ment in the right direction. but 1 hard
Iy think 1t fair TO advocate methods
which professional foresters universally
agree are very harmful TO the best
present and future interests Of the
State forests. E. A. STERLING.
A AnCWarC