GO 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



It is estimated, says the Times, that 

 several thousand trees will be planted on 

 the tract. Messrs. Zon and Eldridge came 

 here from Pensacola, where they have been 

 conducting a similar investigation. 



Florida papers say that Mr. Zon already 

 entertains a high opinion of the Florida 

 territories, and is of the opinion that both 

 the Choctawhatchee and the Ocala forests 

 offer excellent opportunities for forest 

 planting, its success depending largely on 

 the proper choice of species and the gen- 

 eral preparedness when tne time comes 

 for planting. Florida seems well supplied 

 In its own kind of species, and it is in- 

 tended to take advantage of these in all 

 cases of reforestation and in the planting 

 of new and virgin areas. In the Ocala 

 forest it is thought that maritime pine, 

 cork oak and loblolly pine will do well, 

 while in the southernmost part of that 

 forest the eucalyptus will adapt itself very 

 readily to the conditions. 



When it comes to the planting of seed 

 for trees, there are a number of obstacles 

 to overcome and hindrances to offset in 

 order to assure anything like successful 

 results. Should the territory be the habi- 

 tat of the rodent family, the chipmunk, 

 ground squirrel, gopher and the like, all 

 seed beds are liable to serious damage and 



depletions. While every precaution is usu- 

 ally taken to protect the beds as far as 

 possible, some one or more of the enumer- 

 ated pests are sure to make serious in- 

 roads, and in a short time will destroy the 

 better part of the plant. 



Boundary Changes 



The following recent additions to, and 

 eliminations from, the national forests 

 have been announced. In all cases un- 

 appropriated lands that have been elimin- 

 ated are restored to entry and settlement: 



STATE WORK 



The Massachusetts Forestry Association 



The annual meeting of the Massachusetts 

 Forestry Association was held in Boston 

 on the 15th of December. Nathaniel T. 

 Kidder of Milton, was reelected president; 

 Irving T. Guild of Arlington, secretary; 

 and Ernest B. Dane of Brookline. treasurer. 

 Frederick B. Knapp of Duxbury, and Ed- 

 ward S. Bryant of Boston, were elected 

 members of the executive committee for 

 three years. The vice-presidents, one from 

 each county of the state, were reelected. 

 The treasurer's statement showed receipts 

 of $2,820.64, and expenditures of $3,059.78, 

 with a balance on hand of $724.61. The 

 permanent fund amounts to $11,217.87, and 

 yielded last year an income of $552.14. 



Owing to local conditions and needs, the 

 association specialized somewhat in its 

 work for the year upon the city shade tree 

 problem. Efforts by it and other organiza- 

 tions resulted in the preparation of a shade 

 tree ordinance for the city of Boston, which 

 is considered as complete as that of any 

 city in the country. Newark, Providence. 

 Cleveland and Chicago are now in the lead 

 with shade tree legislation, but Boston, if 

 it passes the new ordinance, will have prof- 

 ited by their experience. The association 

 also shared in promoting several local tree 

 planting enterprises and secured the pas- 



sage throu,?h the legislature of a law pro- 

 viding that in case the boundary of a high- 

 way is for any reason uncertain and con- 

 sequently the right of a city or town to en- 

 force jurisdiction over any given road- 

 side tree is disputed by an abutting prop- 

 erty owner on the ground that it is not 

 within the highway limits, it is necessary 

 for the property owner to prove in court 

 his ownership of the tree, otherwise it shall 

 be taken to be in the highway. The amend- 

 ment also amplified the definition of a 

 public shade tree as not only one which 

 stands within the limits of the highway, 

 as the law has previously defined it, but 

 also includes trees which stand upon the 

 boundary line. 



Another law whicu was successfully ad- 

 vocated by the association extends to city 

 officers having the care of shade trees all 

 the powers and duties now conferred upon 

 the tree wardens of towns. 



The proposal to amend the state consti- 

 tution to permit classification of property 

 for taxation was again before the legisla- 

 ture during the past session, and the asso- 

 ciation advocated this change on account 

 of its effect upon forest taxation. No re- 

 sult has yet been reached. 



Among state laws which were passed at 

 the instance of the state forester, were: 

 (1) An act prohibiting the liberating or 



