STATE WORK 



Indiana Forestry Association 



The Indiana Forestry Association, the or- 

 ganization of which, with the names of the 

 incorporators, was mentioned in these pages 

 last month, has issued an address to the 

 people of the State, signed by the President, 

 former Vice-President Charles W. Fair- 

 banks, and the Secretary, George B. Lock- 

 wood. This address is as follows : 



Indianapolis, November 14. 1910. 

 The subject of forestry has come to be one 

 in which the people who give thought to the 

 future welfare of our State are deeply con- 

 cerned. The rapid denudation of our for- 

 ests; the consequent impairment of our tim- 

 ber supply ; the destruction of our soil over 

 considerable areas; the gradual diminution 

 of our water level — suggest to all public- 

 spirited citizens the necessity of some con- 

 certed action to arrest further unnecessary 

 destruction, reclaim the waste places and 

 make provision for forestation so far as it 

 rnay be practicable. We must not further 

 sin away our day of grace; we must not 

 suit supinely by and see our State further 

 impoverished with respect to one of our 

 richest inheritances. We owe it to ourselves, 

 our children and our State to inaugurate a 

 system of education with regard to our trees 

 and our forests; and adopt measures which 

 shall conserve what we have so far as may 

 be done consistently with our commercial 

 needs, and take steps towards growing trees 

 wherever it can be done to advantage. This 

 is neither the concern nor the work of the 

 few ; it is a matter of vital interest to every 

 citizen of the State, and should enlist the 

 earnest co-operation of the many. Our pro- 

 gress will necessarily be slow for a while, 

 but if we go about it in the right spirit and 

 realize that it is a work of the highest public 

 moment, it will nevertheless be sure. The 

 need is at hand and every day's delay will 

 simply increase the difficulty of meeting it 

 later; it is neither the part of economy nor 

 patriotisrn to further postpone taking up the 

 subject in a broad-minded, scientific way. 

 Procrastination will simply result in intensi- 

 fying the gravity of the situation and the 

 difficulty of putting the great subject upon a 

 rational, sound basis. Every new tree added 

 to our timber supply, every one saved fmni 

 ruthless destruction — will be a blessing to the 

 future, a source of health and joy to our 

 people, and wealth to the State — to serve 

 which should be a part of the religion 

 of us all. We should no longer play the pp.rt 

 of the spendthrift — utterly heedless of to- 

 morrow. 



We regard it of prime importance that the 

 yo*-"*); men 9m^ -^-^ung wotn«"» '* *''- c— .t^ 



should be educated upon the subject of 

 forestry, and to that end we hope to have 

 the generous co-operation of schools, col- 

 leges and universities. If we are to put for- 

 estry on a sound and permanent basis in 

 Indiana, it must be done in a considerable 

 degree by enlisting the assistance of the new 

 generation. We appeal to men and women 

 in every avenue of activity to give to the 

 movement their heartiest assistance. With 

 It we shall not fail to render service of last- 

 ing benefit to every neighborhood within 

 the State. The press of Indiana, which is 

 loyal to her interests, must be relied upon 

 to aid in the work of educating the people 

 as to the necessity of giving forestry more 

 earnest consideration and aid in impressing 

 upon their minds the fact that the work is of 

 present importance. 



We appeal to all public-spirited citizens 

 for their co-operation. The measure of our 

 success will depend upon them. Any one in 

 good standing and in accord with its object 

 may join the association by signing and for- 

 warding to the Secretary at Indianapolis the 

 following application for membership, ac- 

 companying the same with one dollar in 

 cash or check: 



To the Secretary of The Indiana Forestry 

 Association, Indianapolis: 

 Feeling an interest in the subject of for- 

 estry in Indiana, and being in hearty accord 

 with the purpose of The Indiana Forestry 

 Association, I hereby request to be enrolled 

 among its membership. I hand you one dol- 

 lar in payment of dues until December 31, 

 1911, and agree to pay one dollar annual' 

 . dues thereafter as provided by the by-laws. 



(Signed) 



P. O. Address 



County .* 



Indiana. 

 Date: 19,, 



Every portion of the State should be fully 

 represented in the association. We wish to 

 rench every neighborhood. Each member 

 will be kept advised of the progress of the 

 work of the association. 



This is essentially a matter of State con- 

 rorn — yet 't is in the best seu'^e of national 

 mo-'-'ent; for ns we conserve the interests of 

 Indnna. we shaH contribute to the strength 

 of the c;Ttire country. 



CHARLES W. FAIR HANKS. 



GEORGE D. LOCKWOOD. 



Secretary. 



