"fi TRAN!<ACTI(»NS Of' TIIK IIJJNOIS 



3. Lists of native trees, and woody plants, with local and botanic 

 names, and their special value in the arts — whether for civil or naval 

 architecture, engineering, cabinet ware, agricultural iniplenients, wagon 

 making, or mill-wright work, etc. 



4. Location of sjiecies relative to elevation, soil, etc. 



5. Natural grouping and consociation of species, etc. 



6. Numbers, kinds, and acres of artificial forests planted, and acres 

 protected, in order to encourage natural reproduction ; also the kinds 

 planted. 



Dk. Humphrey — I had hoped that I should be able to make something 

 of a re|jort with regard to timber-growing in the West. There is a great 

 need of forest-tree planting, and many of our Eastern States are beginning 

 to plant trees. In returning from Chicago last fall, I made the statement 

 that I believed the time would come when the people of this State would 

 ask and receive $100,000 from the Legislature for this purpose. People 

 laughed at me. I may not live to see it,'but my son, now seven years old, 

 may live to see it. If this is not attended to we shall be in want some 

 day. Attention to this matter now will add wealth to the nation and 

 soften the rigors of the climate. There must be an end to the destruction 

 of timber in our country, and a beginning to plant and rear timber, and 

 that beginning must be in this Society. 



Mr. Periam — It is said that the notion advanced that tbrests affect 

 the rain-fall is all a humbug ; and we see statements in the papers occa- 

 sionally that the annual rain-fall is identical — forest or no forest. 



Another statement is made, viz.: that there are to-day more trees in 

 Illinois than there were twenty years ago. I will grant that the statements 

 may be true, but it is the distribution of the rain-fall that is effected by 

 forests ; the rain-fall is more uniform in a timbered country, and hence 

 more effective for the purposes of vegetable growth and health, and con- 

 venience every way. 



In regard to there being more timber in Illinois, that may be. There 

 may be more timber in Nebraska and in Kansas, but taking the country 

 over there is vastly less timber than twenty years ago, and we are running 

 short. I am glad the Forestry Association has been organized and has 

 taken this subject into consideration. 



Prof. Thomas — What did I understand was your opinion in regard 

 to the effect of forests on the rain-fall ? 



Mr. Periam — My opinion is that the amount of annual rain-fall is not 

 affected by forests, but that the country where there is growth of timber 

 will have continuous, or more frequent rains, and will not suffer with 

 drought or floods as much as prairie country does. 



