472 STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



on the suiToimdiug cultivated laud, to know in what respect they check 

 fierce winds, prevent rapid evaporation of moisture or encourage late frosts 

 in spring, but the possession of this knowledge is not likely to induce men 

 to save trees or to plant trees for the benefit of persons owning farms in 

 the surrounding townships or in other counties. Here is one of the best 

 of reasons why the state and nation should take an active part in the man- 

 agement of forests. 



It is difficult to induce most selfish persons — and most persons are selfish, 

 to fully understand the results of a timber famine. They have heard more 

 or less of this talk for years, and believe the day is yet far distant when 

 people of this country will suffer very much inconvenience for lack of 

 timber. They argue as timber becomes scarce and more expensive, less 

 of it will be used. We shall burn coal for fuel, and usei more iron and 

 steel. Transportation will be cheaper and timber can be transported for 

 long distances. The use of the land to produce various grains, grasses, 

 fruit and vegetables will help to pay higher prices for timber. In the 

 moister portions of our country, forests once occupied the land and when 

 cleared away, seedlings and sprouts in immense quantities immediately 

 sprang up to contend for every foot of available space. In cutting away 

 the valuable timber, there are usually large numbers of "young things" 

 up to six inches or more in diameter, which if protected from fire and other 

 destroyers have already made a fair start toward renewing the forests. 

 Too little care is usually observed in protecting this yonng growth which is 

 admitted to be of no value at the present time. Because there are no 

 dollars in them now, the proprietor is likely to let them go to waste. In 

 very few instances in moist elimates would it be necessary to plant trees 

 started in the nursery. 



The writer has several times been asked this question by bright young 

 men of no resources except their active brains and hands: " "What is there 

 in this country to encourage a young man who must earn his living as he 

 goes along to make a specialty of forestry? I like the subject, and if I 

 saw a good living in the business I should run the risk and go ahead." I 

 am free to say, that so far, work in this subject seems to be done 

 gratuitously. 



A very few persons in our agricultural colleges have done a little in this 

 direction, mainly to call the attention of students to the magnitude and 

 importance of a study of forestry. Before any one of us thought much 

 about trees, except to learn how best to get the most revenue from them in 

 the quickest way possible, the courses of study in the agricultural colleges 

 were replete even to suffocation with subjects of seeming importance. 



Elective courses are expensive. The writer has twice given a course of 

 lectures daily for twelve weeks to members of the senior class — or to those 

 who elected forestry. A course on i^arasitic fungi runs parallel with that 

 on forestry, and only one of the two can be elected. No doubt there have 

 been similar reasons in the other schools to prevent giving more attention 

 to forestry. If we are interested and made the effort we can all find some 

 opportunities for this work. 



Lectures at fanner's institutes now largely held in many states afford 

 some opportunity. But here indifference of the hearers induces us to 

 select other subjects. Vividly does the writer call to mind one occasion at 

 an institute in a new county in which he spoke of the importance of pre- 

 venting forest fires. The first one to lead in the discussion was a farmer 

 living in the neighborhood, who won the applause of the audience when he 



