148 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



this is a very simple kind of forest management, but it should be 

 carefully attended to. In felling the mature trees, exercise great 

 care to avoid injury to those of smaller size : be most careful to 

 prevent the ravages of fire, and most rigorously exclude all cattle 

 of every kind from ranging among the young trees. Encourage the 

 multiplication of the truly valuable kinds, and destroy all of the 

 inferior species, except where they may prove useful as nurses, 

 and even then watch them closely lest they trench upon the 

 rights of their superiors. 



]STo one should longer doubt the profitable results of timber 

 plantations when they are properly managed. Of this we have 

 had so many examples set before us that it is no longer a ques- 

 tion ; but the timber plantation differs from the grainfield in the 

 greater length of time required, during which there is little or no 

 money return, though the final result is always reliable and large 

 enough to please the most grasping. Forty years ago the bluffs of 

 the Mississippi near Muscatine, Iowa,were bare prairies ; parts were 

 inclosed and cultivated, while other parts were neglected, left to 

 the open common, and even exposed to the tramping of cattle, 

 they have, nevertheless, grown up into woodlands, and such por- 

 tions as are now being cleared yield a net return fully equal to 

 that of the adjoining lands that have been all that time in cultiva- 

 tion. Badly managed plantations may have failed to be re- 

 munerative, so have neglected farms. And it must ever be 

 borne in mind that forestry is with us a new industry, in which 

 we have everything to learn. Let us rejoice that the general gov- 

 ernment is about to provide the land endowment of a school of 

 forestry at St. Paul, Minnesota, where we may all learn the art of 

 growing timber. 



Mr. Huyck, of Sun Prairie, stated that he had a small grove on 

 his farm, mostly composed of what is called black oak; these trees 

 were gradually dying out, a few every year. The oldest died first 

 and then the younger ones commenced to die also. He did not 

 know the cause, but wanted to keep the land in timber, and would 

 like to have seme one tell him the best trees to replace them with. 



Mr. Peffer was inclined to believe that the trees suffered from 



