154 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. J. H. Hayford, of Wyoming, then spoke a few words regarding the con- 

 dition of forestry in his State. 



He said: I do not think that the conflagrations in the forest can be stopped. 

 The fires will destroy the timber. I do not think, either, that they can be re- 

 placed by planting. After a fire, the shoots will spring up very thickly, form- 

 ing a better reservoir for melting snow than the original forest; but before 

 they can grow up, they are burned down again. 



Mr. Allen proposed that a committee of five be appointed to report the sense 

 of the meeting on the efforts made by Congress to repeal the timber culture 

 acts. Referred to the committee on resolutions. 



PROGRESS OF THE REFORM. 



The secretary, Mr. Fernow, then read his report, from which the following 

 are extracts: 



The progress of reforms, such as the one in which the American Forestry 

 Congress is engaged, cannot always be measured by a definite ratio. While 

 the development of science and art can be demonstrated from year to year, 

 the progress of moral and economic development is not as easily recognized 

 on the surface. Were we to gauge the result of our labor by the prosperity 

 of the association, we might feel satisfied that our energies were not wasted. 

 Be it understood once for all that this Congress is not composed of forestry 

 experts, but of men who have enough of public spirit to devote their energy 

 to an important economic problem. Be it also understood that forestry 

 science in this country can hardly be said to exist. At the Boston meeting a 

 New England committee was appointed, which, in connection with a com- 

 mittee of the Massachusetts Horticultural So iiety, defeated a uniform forestry 

 law suited for New England conditions. The best fruit of the Congress is still 

 to be found in Canada, where the law proposed by the Congress for abating the 

 destruction by forest fires has been now in use for two years. 



The State of New York has fairly started upon its forestry work by appro- 

 priating $35,000 for its forest commission. The State of California has begun 

 vigorous measures to enforce laws in regard to forest fires, and the establish- 

 ment of a forestry school at Los Angeles. What the tree-planting States of 

 the West have done and are doing for their forestry interest, you will hear from 

 the delegates from those States. The general government has continued to 

 gather information, mostly of a statistical nature, and published it in its 

 fourth volume of Forestry Reports. Your secretary has been lately called to 

 direct the work of the Forestry Division, and he hopes to commence upon the 

 investigation of scientific forestry problems. The membership of the con- 

 gress is now forty-one life members and 105 annual members. The financial 

 statement of the treasurer's book gives a balance on hand of 1111.35. 



MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. 



On motion a committee of five, consisting of Messrs. Allen (chairman), 

 Byers, Ensign, Weltz, Barnard, and Parsons was appointed on resolutions. 



The convention received several invitations to visit points of interest, which 

 were accepted. Announced: Committees on membership and nominations; 

 then took a recess until l:o0 p. m. 



