During the eighth annual meeting of the American Forestry Congress (now The American Forestry Association, a most decided improvement) held in Philadelphia last October, resolutions were adopted by which the Association voted to petition Congress to pass an act withdrawing from sale the forest lands of the public domain until a commission, appointed by the president, shall have made the necessary examination and reported to Congress what portion of the lands shall be kept permanently in forests.

The resolution also asks that the army be employed to protect the forests until the commission referred to shall have reported. It is surprising to note that this question excited opposition, while perhaps other plans might have been introduced which would have better accomplished the ends in view. The step taken has the virtue of bringing the power and wealth of the National Government to bear on the carrying out of the proposed reform in a most substantial manner.

This in realty is the first concentrated movement toward reform in this direction, and should be forced to a successful issue.