170 Ajnerican HoriicuUnral Society. 



imit<t be of a more substantial character. Nor do I believe in dispen.sing 

 charities where fair bargains are possible. 



The community is not only richer than the j)rivate man, but it i.>< l(jnger 

 lived, and can more conveniently wait for returns. Let, wherever public 

 interest should demand afforestation, the community plant the forest, tak- 

 ing a lien upon it for the repayment of its loan, with the same rights which 

 pertain to any other lien or mortgage, the latter not to fall due until the full 

 crop is ready to be utilized, when principal and interest may be yati.«fied. 

 The distribution of seeds and seedlings from nurseries under contract can 

 also be made of service, either free of cost or at nominal charges; but we 

 must not expect much encouragement from the peddling out of a few plants 

 or ounces of seed, when acres are to be planted. 



While little Prussia, with a model forest administration and largely sat- 

 isfactory private forest management, being not larger than three quarters of 

 the area of California, found it advantageous last lear to distribute over 38,- 

 000,000 seedlings (mostly conifers) free of charge, and 2.5,000 pounds of seed 

 at nominal prices, the Department of Agriculture of the United States is not 

 sufficiently endowed to devote more than perhaps $500 to the same purpose, 

 and for the entire forestry interest of the nation it spends about one-lifth of 

 what little Prussia appropriates for the purpose of forestry schools and forest 

 experiment stations alone. No wonder that in ten years of forestry investi- 

 gations we have accomplished nothing, practically. It can not be the pocket 

 that dictates such niggardliness. Is the heart or the intelligence lacking to 

 deal more wisely with this great interest? 



Of all these various directions of legislations proposed, not every one 

 may be found desirable or needed in each stixte, but I would insist that be- 

 sides efficient protection against fire nothing of a limited nature is so full of 

 promise as the creation of a forest commissioner in each state — a salaried 

 officer, with facilities to gather and impart information, and to represent the 

 forestry interest in the execution of laws. The small expenditure of two or 

 three thousand dollars, which this would call for, will be returned a thousand- 

 fold in the fostering care which an intelligent community would learn to 

 bestow upon this great forestry interest. 



• 



President Earle — We have another paper mi tliis nio.st impor- 

 tant subject, which Mr. Kiuney, of California will now read in your 

 hearing: 



THOUGHTS ON FORESTllY IN CAI.IFOKNI.V. 



13 Y ROIJERT DOUGLAS, OF ILLIX0I.S. 



The legislature of the state of California has granted an appropriation 

 for the establishment of experimental stations, for testing fruit, ornamental 

 and forest trees. This experimental work can not be commenced too soon, 

 for wliile individual enterprise has been employed in ihoruughly ex])eri- 



