of original white pine remaining in Minnesota. The surface of the country is moderately undulating. The pine is mixed with spruce, balsam, white and yellow birch, poplar and maple, with intervening swamps of cedar and tamarack. There are occasional pure stands of white and of Norway (or red) pine, but generally the pine is mixed with large leaved trees. The soil is a black, sandy loam with a subsoil of yellow clay and gravel, and will all be good for agriculture and sustain a large population.

As indicating the richness of this forest, some quarter sections (160 acres) are known to contain 2,000,000 feet board measure of pine, and worth $12,000. Generally, the white pine trees are of medium size, but there are some which singly will yield 5,000 feet of lumber.

At the highest figure, there remain standing in the forests of Minnesota thirty billion feet of merchantable pine timber, and of the value of $120,000,000. The most of it is in the hands of private parties and is mature. On average pine soil a pine tree does its fastest growing the first eighty years of its life, and at the end of that period it should be cut.

tional land in the original limits of the Itasca State park. The State now has a thousand acres of cut-over pine land in Cass County, donated by the late ex-Governor, John S. Pillsbury, and for which a preliminary working-plan, after survey, was made last summer.

One of the results of forestry agitation in Minnesota was the recent act of Congress for opening the Chippewa reservation, creating a forest reserve of 200,000 acres.

The report contains numerous original illustrations of Minnesota woodlands; a reproduction of sketches of forestry systems of sixteen European countries, including a German forest workingplan loaned by Professor Schlich.

Forest Protection for Our State Reservations.

WHI

HEN an individual purchases a tract of forest land it does not follow that he intends to do more than make as much money as he can from it, and that in as short a time as possible. However, when the State, for

An area of about 500,000 acres in Lake and Cook Counties, that is believed to be better adapted for forest than for any other purpose, has been temporarily withdrawn from the market, with a view of being created as a United States forest reserve, if further examination shall show that it is suitable for that purpose. As soon as practicable, the lands in the proposed reserve will be examined by the United States Geological Survey.

The legislature of Minnesota enacted the following law, which was approved April 8, 1903:

"The Minnesota State Forestry Board is hereby authorized to acquire by purchase for the State, at not exceeding two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) per acre, and preferably at the sources of rivers, any land in this State that is adapted for foresty, but not to exceed in any one congressional township one-eighth part of the area of such township, and to take such steps as are necessary to maintain forest thereon according to forestry principles. One-quarter part of the net forest revenue from such lands shall always be paid to the respective towns in which the lands are situated. No money shall be paid by the State for any such land until the attorney general shall certify that the deed thereof conveys a clear title in the State."

No appropriation was made to carry this law into effect, and for the reason probably that $20,000 was appropriated for the purchase of addi

In

purchase of forest land, the first idea to present itself is that of protection. Any reason for an economic forest policy implies forest protection in some form as the first step to be taken. other words, the object of any line of forestry work is defeated entirely without protection. Silvicultural operations of reproduction and tending of woods are useless and result in a direct loss without protection; proper utilization is impossible and, finally, management, or the financial side of forest administration, is a failure.

Pennsylvania has entered upon a far-sighted forest policy and already is in possession of about 600,000 acres of forest land. This is about onefifth of what the State ought to own, and the purchase of land should continue until at least 3,000,ooo acres, or more, are devoted to the purposes of State forest reserves. The policy is, indeed, far-sighted; nevertheless, the future is the outcome of the present, and the most important question to be considered at this time in reference to our reserves is that of protection. Especially is this SO on account of the present condition of the larger area of the reserves. With few exceptions is it possible or desirable to do any lumbering or to remove any of the best growth, yet by caring for the land for from twenty to thirty years harvesting may be carried on extensively and profitably. If allowed to stand idle without care, in a less number of years they will be almost barrens, and then reforestation, even with the best of pro