As regards the forest the story is too well known. We cut and burned; the forest was taxed beyond its ability, and we have refused it protection.

Even today, after 30 and 40 years of hard labor of men like Dr. Rothrock and Dr. Fernow, the few fundamentals concerning the forest seem still strangers in the land. We are still possessed of the idea that all land should be cleared and farmed, forgetting entirely the fact that our forest crop needs land, and needs a great deal of land. The experience of Europe says that at least a third of the land is needed for forestry if the country is to supply itself with timber. The same countries, and even the best of them show that not all land is plow land, and that large proportions of all the large states of the Old World have not and do not support successful agriculture, in spite of a dense population and much cheap labor. In the same way it seems hard for our people to realize the fact that forestry, like farming, needs work, needs investment, that we must plant and care for the forest if it is really to be more than a shooting range.

Equally difficult is the notion of time, as it enters into forestry as a business. That it takes a century and more to produce a forest tree is well known and is used constantly as an excuse for not planting forest, or even caring for what we have. But that this very long time wait is the most important of all reasons why we should not delay but begin right away, and that this long time element in forestry means that we make up our minds to devote land definitely and certainly to this business, and not only adopt but follow unswervingly the policy necessary for any success, all this seems wanting in the ordinary logic regarding our forests. Similarly we do not seem to see that for the reason of this time element a forest business with a yearly cut requires a definite organization and regulation of the crop, so that there is old, middle-aged and young stuff on the land at all times. That the forest can build up into a property paying 3 cents on the dollar per acre, pay larger taxes per acre than the farmer, support mills and shops and beat the farm two to one in giving freight to the railway may seem a strong statement and yet it is true. And that the forest can do and does all this on cheap lands generally considered too poor, too cold, rocky or steep for farming, makes this use of the land all the more important. And this is emphasized by the fact that the forest takes better care of the soil than does the farmer; that the forest is the only large agency for water regulation and for wholesale decoration of our landscape.

A good deal has been done, but the great task is still before us. This country cuts and uses over 40 billion feet of lumber alone, -over half of all that is used in the world; we believe we have 6。

years' supply, mostly in the far West; we still have 500 million acres of forest lands. But we have hardly made a beginning; we are not really growing timber as yet; it is still safe to say that all the trees planted so far would not keep our mills going a week-probably not a day, and the building up of forests on which our industries and our rapidly growing people can rely for future supplies, has not really begun. The question is asked: But what can we do? There is no need of new associations, nor of any great excitement. But there are a few things which seem clear enough:

We need to decide and really keep a reasonable part of our lands in forest.

We need to stock this land and make the investment of building up the forest and caring for it.

In his own way, every one can do something. Every citizen interested in this better use of our land can acquire the habit to speak for it whenever opportunity comes. This alone guarantees state action, for the Legislature merely waits to hear your wishes.

The owner or co-owner of timber can quit the old way of leaving the forest to itself, and can work for real care and development. In this way we build up the forest and we also build up a body of men who can develop and care for our forest.

Let us have some faith in mankind and treekind, and if Central Europe can take its inferior lands and build up property worth $100 per acre, and thereby secure timber, water and the permanent good and beauty of the land, then let us have faith in the work here, and even if it is not a spectacular affair, and even if it does tax the one virtue we seem to have least of—patience-let us allow that the American man, tree, soil and climate make a combination equal to the best, and that we can and will succeed in forestry.

FILIBERT ROTH.

Mr. J. L. Sanders, Economic Zoölogist of Pennsylvania, has issued an official quarantine prohibiting shipment of Christmas trees and greenery from certain portions of New England and Pennsylvania.

An extremely dangerous and destructive pest known as the Gipsy Moth (Porthetria dispar L.), originally imported from Europe, has become established throughout considerable portions of New England, and is causing much damage.

In spite of an expenditure of more than $14,000,000 of state and government monies for control and eradication work, this pest has continued to spread to new areas. The introduction and establishment of this pest in Pennsylvania is possible by means of egg masses on various evergreen trees

cut in the infested districts of New England and transported for Christmas decoration.

Since this dangerous pest is not known to exist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and believing it important and necessary to protect the horticultural interests from invasion, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture prohibits the shipment, transportation, acceptance, receipt or sale or other disposal in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of any coniferous (evergreen) trees, such as spruce, arbor vitæ (white cedar), fir, hemlock, or pine, known and described as "Christmas trees," and parts thereof, and also decorative plants, such as holly and laurel, known and described as "Christmas greens or greenery," which were cut or originated in the gipsy moth quarantine area as bounded, maintained and described by the Federal Horticultural Board.

New Publications.

Bulletin No. 475. Reforestation on the National Forests. By C. R. Tillotson, Forest Examiner U. S. Department of Agriculture. 8vo, 63 pages, bound in paper. Washington, D. C. This professional paper treats of the different methods of seeding and planting waste lands in the National Forests, having a total acreage of 5,600,000. Other lands on which the stands are thin can be improved in this way. Reforestation operations on the National Forests now cover from 12,000 to 15,000 acres annually. It is estimated that the timberlands of the National Forests are now producing from 5 to 6 billion board feet annually, and when the barren or sparsely timbered areas are reforested, the annual production will be increased at least 3 billion feet.

In selecting sites for artificial reforestation preference is usually given in the following order: First, watersheds of streams important for irriga tion and municipal water supply, such as those which supply water to Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City; second, lands which will produce heavy stands of quick-growing trees of high commercial value, such as those in northern Idaho and western Washington; third, regions where the supply of timber is limited and more wood is needed for local uses, as in western North and South Dakota; and fourth, sites which offer good opportunities for object lessons in the practice of forestry, such as the sand hills of western Nebraska, where there is practically no natural woodland, and the inferior sandy lands of the Lake States, where the original forest wealth has been largely destroyed by cutting and fire. Some areas combine several advantages. For instance, a burned-over tract may be suitable for sowing

some rapid-growing timber species and may be so situated that the plantation will serve as an excellent object lesson.

Details of the methods of gathering, drying, extracting, cleaning, yield, cost and storing of seed are all treated. Sowing and planting methods, quantity of seed, number of plants per acre, costs, etc., are all set forth, a number of illustrations aid in an understanding of the text.

Of 124,732 acres covered up to June 30, 1915, there were directly seeded 84,320 acres, and 40,412 acres were planted.

Report of the Chief Forest Fire Warden for the year 1916. Bulletin 16, Department of Forestry. 8vo, 124 pages. By George H. Wirt. The Chief Forest Fire Warden in the Second Annual Report, for the year 1916, calls particular attention to the following features: Payment for claims for fire extinction, and claims still pending ; legal actions that have been started, and those still pending; and to the fine spirit of co-operation on the part of the wardens and citizens.

In accordance with the Forest Protection Code, forest fire districts have been determined upon in accordance with what is believed will be the future requirements for proper forest development and protection.

I. Erie, Crawford, Mercer, and Venango.

2.

Lawrence, Butler, Beaver, Allegheny, Washington, and Greene.