PEOCEEDINGS OF THE AUTUMN MEETING. 71 



way. Articles for the press, posting notices, bulletins containing valu- 

 able instruction, discussions at such gatherings as the present one, the 

 passage of resolutions, attempts to find and punish offenders, whether 

 they be poor men or rich railway corporations, are all needed. We have 

 some good laws now pertaining to this subject, but they are in much the 

 condition that Tammany or New York would like the liquor laws — -well 

 enough to have on the books, but better not to be enforced. 



From Garden and Forest, page 369, 1895, I take the following, to show 

 that a few at least are taking some interest in this live subject of forest 

 fires and their prevention so far as is practicable: 



"At the meeting of the American Forestry Association, held Septem- 

 ber, 1895, Hon. G. F. Talbot of Maine argued that all worthless lands 

 forfeited by tax sales be permanently held by the state and devoted to 

 the purpose of the production of trees, to which end they are admirably 

 adapted. He spoke of the fire laws of Maine, and stated that the adverse 

 interests of forest owners was the great obstacle to any reform in control- 

 ling forest fires. Under a sharp competition the land is stripped of every- 

 thing salable, and the refuse left where it happens to fall, and this ulti- 

 mately becomes, through its inflammability, a menace to all neighboring 

 property. Joseph B. Walker of New Hampshire said large areas are 

 owned by individuals whose sole object is to make the most money in the 

 shortest period, and who have no interest in obtaining a future crop of 

 trees. Everything is cut which can be sold either for lumber or matches. 

 Vast sections are denuded, one after the other, and fires in the 'slashings' 

 sweep the ground clean after the lumbermen have left. Fire wardens 

 are now appointed to look after fires. The farmers are beginning to 

 appreciate the necessity of the forests. Secretary Morton, president of 

 the association, called attention to the necessity of state legislation to 

 compel the proper care of waste from timber cutting, in order to prevent 

 forest fires." 



THE FUTURE OF FRUIT TRANSPORTATION IN MICHIGAN. 



BY HON. R. D. GRAHAM OF GRAND RAPIDS. 



The question of fruit transportation is one in which not only fruit- 

 growers are interested, but which, from its vital bearing on one of the 

 chief industries of the state, makes it a matter of concerii to all who 

 desire the prosperity and well-being of our people. That Michigan as a 

 fruitgrowing state stands second to none in her natural advantages is 

 becoming more and more apparent as the years go by and the country is 

 developed. 



Only a few vears ago we heard of the fruit belt as a narrow strip of 

 land in the vicinity of South Haven and St. Joseph, and it was generally 

 supposed that the so-called belt comprised about all the peach land in 

 the state. Now, however, the peach belt means practically all of western 

 Michigan, from the fruitful county of Berrien to historic Old Mission, 

 including the various islands of the defunct county of Manitou, and 



