Nat'l Ass'n Audubon Societies
The passenger pigeon, an extinct species.
CONSERVATION SERIES
CONSERVATION READER
BY
HAROLD W. FAIRBANKS
Author of "Home Geography, Stories of Our
Mother Earth," "Rocks and Minerals,"
"The Western United States,"
"Practical Physiography,"
"Geography of California,"
etc.
ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AND
WITH REPRODUCTIONS OF PAINTINGS
IN COLOR
YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK
WORLD BOOK COMPANY
1920
WORLD BOOK COMPANY
THE HOUSE OF APPLIED KNOWLEDGE
Established, 1905, by Caspar W. Hodgson
Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York
2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago
The need for education in the principles of conservation is imperative.As Henry Fairfield Osborn states the matter, "We are yet far from thepoint where the momentum of conservation is strong enough to arrest androll back the tide of destruction." The movement for the preservation ofnatural resources can succeed only with the establishment of anenlightened public sentiment on the subject. To create and maintain sucha sentiment is the proper work of the schools. In making thisConservation Reader available for school use, author and publishershave had in mind the great and lasting service that such a text mightrender. The publishers believe that this little volume and othersforthcoming in the Conservation Series will rank high among "Books ThatApply the World's Knowledge to the World's Needs"
Copyright, 1920, by World Book Company
Copyright in Great Britain
All rights reserved
INTRODUCTION
The wave of enthusiasm for the conservation of our national resourcesmust reach the children or it will expend much of its force uselessly.
It is from the education of the children in right ways of looking atNature that everything is to be expected in the years to come. If theylearn to understand the value of the things about them, as well as toappreciate their beauties, the carrying on and enlarging of theconservation program which is now so well under way can be safely leftto their care.
The West, although it has already been ruthlessly exploited, has lostless of its natural wealth than have the longer-settled Eastern states.
In the newer parts of our country we can reasonably hope to save most ofthe forests and most of the wild life, and pass them on down to ourchildren and grandchildren in something of their primeval beauty andrichness.
In the East we can hope to arouse a stronger sentiment for preservingwhat remains of the forests as well as for extending their areas, forproper forestation will lessen the danger of erosion of the soil and offloods, and will encourage the return of the wild creatures that are ofso much economic importance and add so much to the joy of life.
A book bringing out in a simple and inter