Scotty Comes Back

Abstract

You men of the east, and you of the Great Lakes region have long waged war against the' evils of deforestation and pollution of your splendid trout waters. Your ch•cest forest is now a thing of the past; the glory of your splendid trout streams has partially vanished. The conditions for trout growth are not now, and probably never again will be comparable to what they were when your countries were new. Your clear crystal streams, with mossy shaded banks are largely memories of the past.We of the great. Continental Divide region and of the farther west are now in the midst of our battle against deforestation and pollution, and we are profiting in some small measure at least from your struggles and your experiences. Public sentiment has been aroused to the economic crime of destroying the protective coverings of our great watershed areas. Most fortunately, we outdoor lovers, anglers and fish-culturists of this high divide country lying al •ng the foothills of the great Continental Divide are most wonderfully blessed in that a large proportion of our forests have been protected from the usual wanton spoliation through being included in our National Forests and National Parks. These mammoth watersheds are thus for all time set aside and freed from the menace of deforestation and pollution, besides being assured of a reasonably intelligent contrvl and development.Here then in these streams, lakes and constantly increasing number of reservoirs of our wonderful Rocky Mountain region will be found the trout refuges of the coming ages. Here •ur aristocratic native redthroat and the grayling will continue to make their homes. Here too are now thriving, and will continue to thrive, the Prince of the East, the speckled trout of the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes region, likewise the Sultan of the West, the dashing, spectacular and hard fighting rainbow of the Pacific Slope. Possibly it may be news to some of my hearers t• know that even now more eggs from wild fish of these varieties are being secured in the open streams and lakes of the Rocky Mountains than from their old home waters.Notwithstanding these exceptionally favorable conditions, we are not free from the problems incident to deforestation and pollution. Our cultivated area is increasing. Irrigation takes its toll of our streams. To a markedly lesser degree does the initial water supply for the lower areas of our streams flow over natural pastures and meadow lands. The rains now 92