70 ' STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



New Jerse}', Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Minnesota 

 are apparently accomplisliing more than we are in forest reform. 



Our forests are still considered in many places in the nature of mines, 

 to be worked till exhausted, instead of a crop which should be perpetual, 

 at least on some portions of the roughest and least valuable of our lands. 

 In Europe they plant seeds and grow timber. It may be too soon to talk 

 of that here, but we can and should move at once, before it is too late, 

 and save considerable young timber from destruction. This has already 

 a fine start of five to thirty years, and with care would soon be valuable. 

 Posterity should not be expected to look entirely after this matter. We 

 should give our descendants a start. It may not pay us very good inter- 

 est, but the state at least can afford to wait, and wait long, provided the 

 land increase in value. 



It looks to reason that notwithstanding the increased use of iron and 

 steel and stone, that lumber should increase in value as the country 

 grows older. The main point I wish to make now is this: Strive to save 

 the young groves of timber for the future instead of allow ing them to be 

 destroyed by fires fed by tree tops and other refuse left by the careless or 

 reckless lumberman. If it will not pay a man to look out for the 3'oung 

 saplings and seedlings, much can be saved by purposely firing the rubbish 

 as soon as it can be burned, before the weather becomes so verv drv. In 



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this simple and inexpensive way a considerable portion of inflammable 

 material is removed, and much less damage is likely to accrue in a dry 

 time. Strips in certain places can be kept, like clean roads, by back-firing 

 at the right times of year. This will help prevent the spread of fire. 



Everyone knows the advantages of our railroads, and he knows also, 

 by views from the car window, that the engine sends forth sparks to 

 spread fire in a most reckless manner up and down the roadside. If 

 these roads can not be controlled, more attention should be given to back- 

 firing along the line of the road, before the weather becomes very dry. [t 

 seems to me none too soon to advocate more attention to enforcing a rule 

 for clearing up the tree-tops and other debris by the men who take away 

 the logs and tanbark. 



Years ago, the fruitgrowers of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph did not 

 believe it was of any use to remove peach trees affected by yellows. They 

 wanted to be let alone, and they had their own way, and we know the 

 result. The growers in Allegan and Van Buren counties showed more 

 enterprise. The fruitgrowers removed and destroyed diseased trees at 

 considerable cost, and, almost to their surprise, saved the peach industry. 

 This was a good lesson for others in various portions of our state. And 

 now these enterprising men are willing to go a few steps further and 

 enforce certain laws regarding the destruction of insect enemies and 

 parasitic fungi, and this time Benton Harbor and St. Joseph and vicinity 

 are not to be outdone in any such enterprise. 



Here are good lessons that may apply to forestry. If a man can be 

 compelled to remove diseased peach trees, and to spraj' his apple trees 

 to protect his neighbors, why should not a lumberman as well be com- 

 pelled to clean up or burn his rubbish in such a manner as not to endan- 

 ger property and life in the surrounding country? 



As before intimated, the state needs interested and patriotic men to 

 keep firing away at this important subject, until a reform is well under 



