TWENTIETH ANNUAL MEETING. 41 



Gaefield said that as Michigan has no forestry association it is proper 

 that work in this line shall be done by the horticultural society; and 

 hence, when asked to furnish an address for this evening, he had prej)ared 

 instead this 



PROGRAM OF FORESTRY. 



Gov. Luce once asked him, sjaeaking of forestry matters, "Why don't 

 your society come to Cold water and talk to us about these questions?" 

 "Why," I replied, "you don't want us there. A few years ago we were 

 there, and, some one having advocated the use of windbreaks and leaving 

 of timber lots, the Branch county farmers present unanimously condemned 

 both practices and favored cuttiilg the last tree." "Well," answered Mr. 

 Luce, "we don't feel that way now." 



The tendency today is toward intensive culture and there is a feeling 

 that we are stealing when we take more from the land than we return. 

 More can be gotten from twenty-five acres now, and fifteen left for the 

 woodland, thaii forty under the old system. Mr. Garfield introduced Mr. 

 A. C. Glidden of Paw Paw, as the first speaker, to treat of 



"the woodlands of southern MICHIGAN." 



Mr. Glidden: I look about southern Michigan for woodlands, but 

 they are not here. They have been swept away to give place to meadows 

 and fields of wheat and corn. But ideas have changed as to this. I do 

 not know that there is any more demand for timber now than 25 years ago; 

 but there is not so much talk about it or so much fear of its destruction — 

 or, if there is, it is not expressed. Young timber is growing up in many 

 places and there are yet some of the original trees, and all is in great 

 demand. Like other crops, timber should be cut when matured. No con- 

 sideration of sentiment should allow trees in wood lots to ripen and decay. 

 Matured trees should be cut, too, to give room to young growth. But 

 such young growth is not given the care it should have. I have a neigh- 

 bor who has a lot of fine young oaks and some old ones. Asked what he 

 meant to do with the latter, he replied, " Well, if it was for profit, I know 

 very well what I should do. But unless a man has need of such jprofit he 

 should not be allowed to cut such trees." Not so. He should cut the old 

 growth and care for the young. 1 did so with my own timber, cutting the 

 old trees close to the ground and giving the young ones the best care I can. 

 I gain by such care, for they will grow very rapidly. Ten acres will grow all 

 the timber the farm needs. There is not likely to be an increased demand 

 for timber, because of changes in processes of manufacture, and the metal, 

 aluminum, made from the clay which abounds everywhere, is likely to 

 largely take its place. But there is something more than dollars in groves. 

 I yield to no man in veneration for fine growing trees. Planted trees are 

 not likely to be successful for timber. Timber trees must start naturally 

 and be trimmed and the cut branches left with the leaves on the ground as 

 a mulch. 



Mr. George Taylor of Kalamazoo: I was reared in Scotland where 

 forestry is scientifically conducted. The great secret of success with planted 

 trees is their proper thinning. One large tract I knew of was planted 

 with pines and hardwood trees, the former being removed when they had 

 accomplished the purpose of making the others "draw up" — start in a tall 

 6 



