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Forestry Association.

URING the past year forestry in Pennsylvania has shown progress in many ways.

It is this fact that makes the condition into which much of the region has fallen so deplorable, and that makes its reclamation so absolutely necessary. If ever a State had abundant warning and was called upon to take steps in advance to save this vast acreage for the use of those who are to follow us, Pennsylvania is that State! The time will come when every unproductive acre will be a loss to the Commonwealth. There are millions of acres at this hour on the road to bar

renness.

As the experiments made under the auspices of the State College have demonstrated, much of this land can be reclaimed and made productive. For the more rocky flats and the steeper hill-sides, no other use can be found than to restore them to forests.

There remains one other, and not less important function for these highlands. On them are the fountain heads of important streams. On them falls a great body of snow, which, melting gradually, sinks into the earth and furnishes the water that nourishes the streams during the drier portions of the year.

The idea may as well be advanced now as later, that it would be a wise policy for the State at once to purchase these areas, inaugurate a system of protection and restoration, by placing the tillable and grazing areas under proper agricultural supervision, and restoring the remainder to forests as rapidly as possible.

Then, when pressure of population demands it, sell off the tillable and grazing lands to home seekers. Such a policy would involve large expenditure, but would certainly in the end prove to be a wise economy and probably an actual financial gain to the Commonwealth.

J. T. ROTHROCK.

Forest fire placards will be placed in every post office in Pennsylvania located in or near a forested area.

The State Forests have increased 8,136 acres through purchase, making a total of 1,012,180 acres located in 26 counties, practically all of which are in the mountainous or hilly regions of the State mostly in the eastern and central portion. It has been urged that more land be secured in the western part of the State. This could be done if the present price of $10 per acre allowed by the law were high enough to purchase the land, but such is usually not the case, as on account of the valuable minerals found in the ground, it is impossible to secure the title to the land at the price named. Purchase of the surface subject to mineral lease has been advocated by some in order to obtain it at lower cost. This is inadvisable, for most if not all the mineral leases contain clauses giving the right to go on the land, construct roads, erect the necessary buildings, and cut free of cost such timber growing on the land as is needed in mining operations. This would practically mean that the owner of the lease would let the State pay the taxes on the land, care for and propagate the timber and then, whenever he so desired, commence mining operations, and use whatever timber he chose to cut, free of cost,-manifestly an unfair proposition, which the State could not and would not permit, as it would defeat the object for which the State Forests were started.

The State now owns 4 large and 21 small nurseries which have propagated a total of 40,000,000 seedlings. Of these 22,225,761 have been set out on State forests, planting 12,057 acres (about one third of these having been set out in 1916), and 1,500,000 given to citizens of the Common

There are now on hand a total of 17,000,000 to 18,000,000 young trees in the nurseries.

Arrangements have been made whereby the State Highway Department will be supplied with young trees by the Department of Forestry. These trees will be set along the public highways which are being constructed, and in years to come add to their attractiveness and at the same time furnish shade to the travelers.

A large amount of work has been done in caring for the forests already secured, 1,730 miles of roads have been built or repaired, 930 miles of fire lanes made, 302 miles of telephone wire strung, also numerous buildings for employees provided, 117 fire towers have been erected of which 6 are of steel construction.

Taken as an investment, the expenditures made

in the purchase of lands, their care and improvement, has been profitable, for if the State should so desire it could now dispose of its holdings at double what it has cost to secure and care for them, and this increase in value will be still more rapid if the necessary money be made available for their further improvement.

The forest fire question is ever with us. During the spring of this year, although the conditions were favorable, more than 100,000 acres were burned over, the timber loss being estimated at $170,000. Figures for the fall fire season are not yet available but they will considerably augment the above. The State now has on its statute books an admirable law constituting a Bureau of Forest Protection but unfortunately the machinery is crippled by a lack of sufficient appropriations, not to extinguish forest fires after they start (much of the expense of which is met by a deficiency appropriation by the succeeding Legislature), but a sufficient sum to patrol the woods properly during the danger seasons and prevent the fires, thus doing away with this constantly recurring loss to the Commonwealth, which should protect its citizens who pay taxes for such protection. More attention is now being given to the prosecution of persons starting forest fires, and this will also have a salutary effect.

More money should also be appropriated for the the purchase, care, and administration of State Forests, the present amounts being inadequate.

Many other states have secured forest reserves, New York leading with a total of 1,826,000 acres, Wisconsin 400,000, Michigan 233,000, South Dakota 75,000, Minnesota 43,000 acres and eight other states smaller areas. Most of them have a forestry bureau or commission or similar organization, and many have passed excellent laws. all of the states Arbor Day is now celebrated.

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Most of the forest reserves in the western section of the United States are owned by the general government, the total area, exclusive of purchases under the Weeks Act now being 155,420,280 acres, a decrease since last year of 860,786 acres, due to the elimination of areas which it was found were more suitable for agriculture. National forests are located in 28 states. The only ones in the East are those established by the Weeks Act in the White Mountains in the North and the Appalachian chain in the South; the areas owned on June 30th, 1916 being respectively 195,215 acres and 511,759 acres, with 163,048 acres, and 468,705 acres approved for purchase. The $3,000,000 which was unexpended under the Weeks Law was reappropriated by the last Congress, $1,000, oco being available for purchases in 1917 and $2,000,000 in 1918. This favorable

action so important for forestry interests was mainly brought about by the work of the American Forestry Association.

The value of the National Forests which contain about one-fifth of the standing timber of the United States is estimated at over two billion dollars, and the annual revenue obtained from them is now $2,823,541. This is gradually augmenting and will it is hoped soon equal the annual expenditure of $5,553,256, much of which is for work of a permanent character, such as roads, fire lanes, telephone lines, fire towers, etc.

In the year 1915 there were approximately 47,ooo forest fires in the United States, burning over 6,250,000 acres and causing a loss of about $7,250,000 not including damage to young growth and soil deterioration. Such a fire loss incurred by sweeping away blocks of buildings in one of our large cities such as San Francisco at the time of the earthquake will be recorded for centuries, and yet the annual loss by forest fires goes on from year to year unheralded unless accompanied by loss of life. That good care will greatly decrease the loss is shown by the fact that in the National Forests in the same period there were but 6,934 fires burning over 279,245 acres, causing a damage of $353,389. The Journal of the Canadian Forestry Association gives the estimated forest fire loss in Canada in 1916 as from seven to nine million dollars, an appalling figure.

The State Forest Academy this year graduated 11 young men who will assist in caring for the State forests, the number so employed being now 70 The Forestry Department of the Pennsylvania State College has in late years shown a large augmentation in the number of students. Lehigh University has a course of forestry lectures, also an Arboretum.

In Pennsylvania much aid has been rendered by the various fish and game protective associations as well as those interested in the preservation of our native birds and wild flowers, all of which are dependent on the forests for their existance. Private organizations such as the Pocono Protective Fire Association, the Central Pennsylvania Fire Protective Association and the McKean County Forest Fire Protective Association, have done excellent work in their special sphere. The State Bureau of Forest Protection is also enlisting the aid of the railroads, the mining, and other large companies in the prevention of and extinguishment of forest fires in their vicinity. and a movement is on foot begun at a recent meeting at Hazleton, called by the State Bureau of Forest Protection which gives promise of very valuable results.

The Association held its Summer Meeting at

Zones.

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tions. The large number of those present had an opportunity, through interesting and instructive trips, of becoming acquainted with the splendid results obtained by the local organization. The forest plantations of Messrs. Nolde and Horst, also those made on various water sheds near Reading were inspected. At the sessions valuable addresses were made on various forestry, game, fish, and bird problems in the Commonwealth, while still others described the progress made in sister States.

Many private companies, water, railroad, hotel, lumber, and mining, also public spirited individuals, have either planted new or are caring for existing forests.

Many of the High, Normal, and Preparatory Schools gave addresses on forestry and its need, while all of the public schools universally observed Arbor Day with appropriate exercises.

Notable aid has been rendered the cause by the Women's Clubs, the Press, the Boy Scouts, and others.

During the year 61 persons connected themselves with the organization while 63 died, resigned or were dropped, making the present total 1305. Over one-half of those leaving the Association were reported deceased, and among these we regret to chronicle six members of the Council, Joshua L. Baily, Miss Fanny Brown Coleman, Mr. Eckley B. Coxe, Jr., Mr. John S. Cope, Mr. Theo. N. Ely, and Mr. W. W. Scranton.

Next January there will be another biennial meeting of the Legislature. Our members should use their influence in seeing that the Department of Forestry receives ample appropriations so that it will not be crippled, as during the past two years, by inadequate finances for land purchases, care and improvement of the State forests, and for forest fire prevention.

It is also urged that an earnest effort be made to augment largely the membership of the Association. 5,000 members should be readily obtainable, and this would put the Society in position

to do much more effective work.

"Forest Leaves" has been issued regularly, has been improved in appearance by supplying a cover, while the reading matter has been increased to 16 pages.

The Association has also been the recipient of a bequest of $1,000 from the late Mrs. Anna F. Brush, which has been invested in the permanent fund. F. L. BITLER, Secretary.

ests in the regions occupied by the contending European armies is very difficult to obtain. Professor J. S. Illick is the possessor of a letter recently written by Dr. C. A. Schenck, the founder and for sixteen years the Director of the Biltmore Forest School. Prior to his departure from America Dr. Schenck was regarded as one of the most

two years, I received a few American lumber papers and forestry magazines-The American Lumberman, Southern Lumberman, Northwestern Lumberman, American Forestry, and Forest Leavesthe latter containing an article by yourself on 'THE FORESTS OF THE WAR ZONES.' You can imagine that I did not lose any time in getting after it. Your remarks were of peculiar interest to me, personally, since I was an adjutant of a batallion in Poland and have been connected with the civil administration of Brussels. I wish that I might have been able to give you some hints and facts concerning your topic. It is too late now. Thus, my notes are coming post festum.

I. "POLAND.-I have seen only that part of Poland, during a stay or rather a meandering of 5 months, which lies south of Lodz-where I was wounded quite unnecessarily. The woods and forests belong to the landed aristocracy and to the crown-in this case the Czar. The poor farmers have never had a show. It is amazing to think that the poor were formerly compelled to go begging for fuel with gigantic forests lying at their doors and the timber and wood therein going to waste. Those poor fellows were never allowed to gather even the decaying stuff. I tell you, if the land policy, from a national point of view, has been wrong in the good United States of America, then it certainly has been infernally and cursedly wrong in Poland. All these forests are now placed in charge of German foresters who have been taken from their jobs at home. Some of these you happen to know, e. g., Herr Krutina, of Heidelberg. No timber or wood is being cut without being previously marked. Fire patrols are maintained during the hot season. Industries, such as sawmills, paper mills, tannic acid factories, and naval store establishments, are being developed. Never have the woods been handled better than they are now. II. "BELGIUM.-There are practically no forests in Belgium, excepting that gorgeous stretch near Brussels. The wooded areas in the Ardennes are "woodlands" or, in a few cases, park of the wealthy e. g., that of Sir William Schlich. The rest is scrubby stuff, so conspicuous in the sandy plains of Flanders and the province of Limburg. There is nothing I should like to own in the province of Brabant, Hainaut, and Liege. Such were the conditions before the war. All that the Germans have done, has been to insist that the woods do not suffer from fire. I have been active along this line myself. There is no such thing as reckless cutting by the Germans. Wherever the woodlands have been laid low by the armies of both sides, it was done to build trenches, log houses, and above all to gain a free sight for the guns. A few fine avenues of trees had to come down, but

upon my best knowledge and true belief less than 3 per cent. of all the avenues were thus ruined. To speak of wholesale destruction of fine woodlands by reckless soldiers, is in the case of Belgium absurd, because they did not exist before the war, excepting the famous ones at Brussels, which stand as beautiful today as they ever did.

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III. "OCCUPIED PART OF FRANCE.-I have no personal knowledge of this part of the war zones, for I have not been there. My informants are my relatives who have been fighting there and forest ranger Pfeifer, of Lindenfels, whom you may remember. They tell me that there is a committee on economic questions with each army corps. forest officer of rank is a member of each committee. He is assisted by forest rangers taken from the ranks. Not a tree is cut without being marked, except those cut by shells. Whenever a batallion wants wood for fuel, charcoal or building purposes a forest ranger is sent out to mark the trees. Naturally, no forest planting is being thought of, but otherwise the woods are being cared for.

"To make a long tale short, and so as not to annoy the censor unduly, let me say, that the woods of the fighting countries are suffering less from the war than the men; the animals, including game; the fields, because of lack of phosphate and stable manure; the buildings, and the human hearts.

"I have offered my good help for the winter to one of the universities as lecturer on forestry, the regular ones being absent in Poland and Livland, where they are acting as forestry officials. Since my return from Belgium, I have been spending my time hunting, resting and enjoying myself, which is more than a decent fellow ought to do in time of war. But there were so many deer, hares, pheasants and quail to be killed that I would not deny myself the pleasure. I also got a big stag, not in Lindenfels, but on a friend's holdings in the Spessart woods. Do not imagine that the game was killed by order of the boss! No sir! Not yet! Having procured the hunting rights on 5,000 acres of land in the environs of Lindenfels, and being absent in Poland and Belgium for almost two years the game had increased so wonderfully that I am now having the sport of my life-that very sport which I got so little of during my 18 years in America-the land of the free.

"You can imagine that my dreams, thoughts, and heart continue to take little spins over to you almost every day. Sometimes my thoughts are sad and 'set the word against the word,' and often they are cheerful, loving, and thankful.

"When the war is all over--in a year or twocome over and see me, and I shall be glad to travel