124 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and been so piled upon each other, that many do not root at all, but remain- 

 as blanks to take the strength of the plant. You have no right to expect 

 large berries when a dozen plants occupy the space which should be 

 allotted to one. Light is the great promoter of plant growth, and when it 

 is excluded by such dense foliage, no fruit can or will develop. 



But here is the greatest objection of all: Fully one half the number of 

 berries are too small to pick, but are left on the vine with hundreds of 

 seeds ripe at one time to destroy the fruiting vigor of the plants. 



The substance of this paper, then, is this: Fine and deep tillage, with 

 a dust mulch to prevent evaporation ; high fruiting power of plants, that 

 there may be no blanks; plants set so as to create a rootage that shall sus- 

 tain all drafts made upon it ; restriction or concentration of foliage and 

 fruit that there may be no lost energies, with an abundance of pleasure, 

 profit, and satisfaction to the grower. 



THE NEEDS OF MICHIGAN FORESTRY. 



BY PROF. W. J. BEAL, AGRICULTUKAL COLLEGE. 



Dr. Beal prefaced his paper with some remarks concerning the reckless 

 cutting of timber from the national preserves, and offered a resolution 

 commending a bill in congress to prevent this, which was referred to 

 the committee on resolutions, and subsequently adopted by the society. 

 He then proceeded : 



What is forestry? It is a business, like agriculture, an industry which 

 is concerned in the production of a soil crop. It is the art of managing a 

 wood crop so that it will make the best harvest of timber in the shortest 

 time at the greatest profit. In forestry, unlike agriculture, it takes many 

 years for the crops to mature, and the crop is then a complicated one. 



In its most perfect condition, forestry is not a science nor an art, but 

 consists in a dabbling in several sciences and several arts. It touches 

 botany, chemistry, geology, meteorology, physics, geography, entomology, 

 horticulture, arboriculture, lumbering, protection from fire, floods, and 

 thieves. 



One of the first things that occur to the younger members of such an 

 audience as this is something as follows: What is the chance for a man 

 to make a good living at this business, provided he have no capital except 

 strong hands and a mind fairly well trained — he has very little experience, 

 but may have considerable enthusiasm? My answer to this question is 

 rather uncertain and unsatisfactory. It is certain, however, that there 

 are no fat salaries now waiting for such men, so far as my knowledge 

 extends. What the early future may bring forth, I can not tell. I am 

 certain that there is a great opportunity for performing the work of a 

 missionary in teaching the first elements of forestry. True, there are very 

 few who care to be instructed. There is very little interest in the subject.. 



