t-ARMEEs' INSTITUTES. 661 



need of its people. The person who plants a forest must also recognize 

 that his business will be one of future realization. The crop which the 

 forester grows may be harvested many years from tlie time of planting. 

 It may be a question of worliing for future generations. We must not 

 view it, like the gentleman with whom I tallced a few days ago, who 

 said, "What has posterity done for me?" 



The future prosperity of the State is to !)e retained largely by supply- 

 ing forest material to its industries. Forestry is a great problem; it is 

 one that the state and its people must give due consideration. 



Forestry as a means to a better agricultural security is equally im- 

 portant to that of manufacturing. Agriculture is dependent on climatic 

 and soil conditions more than any other industry. The lessened rainfall 

 of the past year, which we are told was more than four inches short, 

 the lowered draining of the lauds in this State, the more frequent and 

 violent storms in summer, the almost certain drouth, the lessened snow- 

 fall and the fierce winds to disturb the snow on the ground, as a protec- 

 tion to the winter crops, is a result in a large degree of the cutting and 

 removal of timber. 



Forests by their foliage are sources of rain production. The tree by 

 its cover prevents rapid evaporation. The diminished rainfall in itself 

 does not cause such a marlved change in the moisture conditions, but it 

 is the intense evaporation resulting from the clearing out the timber, 

 thereby removing the source which retained the rainfall to the land. 



Root and foliage are the main life organs of the tree. The tree is 

 said to be about, 60 per cent. Avater, the trunli and branches serve as 

 conductors to carry the water down in the fall season and up in the 

 spring and summer. The small fibrous roots as well as the larger ones 

 that sink deep into the ground take the water and minerals from the soil 

 and through the trunk of the tree expose them to the light, and under 

 favorable temperature the moisture which is so necessary to our climatic 

 conditions is thrown off into the atmosphere and becomes part of its sur- 

 roundings. 



The growing tree is more or less in all its parts saturated with water, 

 the roots are constantly gathering and conveying it to the atmosphere 

 above. The tree is so active in its work as to become noticeable, hence 

 we say the sap is either up or down. The amount of waT:er carried to 

 the atmosphere is incalculable. Every division of agriculture will be 

 benefited by better forest conditions. A common sense survey of agri- 

 culture will show the results of forest devastation and the urgent need 

 of replanting and saving our forest timlier. 



Viewing forestry from a commercial standpoint, there can be no doubt 

 but that a certain amount of forest planting will be .profil;able to the 

 owner and helpful to the country. To what extent such plantmg can be 

 carried on with profit must depend on circumstances. No general sys- 



