134 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



eight inches apart, covering them but slightly with one-fourth of an inch of light 

 soil. Never let the ground get dry, nor become soaked with water for a very long 

 time, nor exposed to the sun, nor become choked with weeds. Seeds of elms, 

 birches and maples should be planted as soon as gathered or not long after. If 

 seeds of ashes become dry before planting in the open (as they may be with 

 safety), they should be soaked a day or two in water till they become swollen. 



RELATION OF METEOROLOGY TO FORESTRY IN MICHIGAN. 



BY R. C. KEDZIE. 



The controlling intluence of climate over forest growth is well recognized. The 

 distribution of plants over the earth's surface is to a large extent determined by 

 climate, but moisture as an element of climate is controlling. The climatic condi- 

 tions, as related to forest growth, and especially in connection with the question 

 of reforesting our denuded northern plains, become matters worthy of considera- 

 tion. 



FOREST GROWTH. 



The conditions favorable to growth of trees are good soil, proper temperature 

 and moisture. Failure of any one of these will limit or prevent arboreal growth. A 

 good illustration of the limitation by a poor soil is furnished in the government 

 forests of Germany. Prof. F. S. Kedzie in a recent letter writes: "I have been all 

 over the Royal Forest. It lies outside of the city about ten miles and is carefully 

 watered and taken care of by a small army of foresters. The trees are all pines, 

 planted a great many years ago, and through the forest run wild boar, deer and 

 other game. I saw one lone red squirrel during my tour, which lasted over four 

 hours. Only the Kaiser and his guests ever shoot or hunt the g-ame here. * * * 

 At one point I found a plot of pines which was planted in 1SS9, but the result must 

 try even the patience of a German— the average height was not more than four 

 feet. 



I was disappointed in the appearance of the trees in the forest — they don't com- 

 pare with ours at home, and I expected they would be much larger on account of 

 the more abundant rainfall. When I told the German friend who was with me 

 that they were beginning to agitate the forest question in Michigan he seemed 

 greatly astonished that a man was permitted to cut down trees without planting 

 as many acres as he cleared. There is one tiling clear to my mind: we don't need 

 to try any experiments in forestry with pine trees— the millennium is too near." 



The limiting condition for forest growth are not found in our soil, which is in 

 striking contrast with the thin sands of Prussia: but in certain sections the 

 climatic condition, especially the rainfall, is the problem to be solved. While the 

 climate of Michigan on the average is satisfactory, yet it still must be characterized 

 as capricious — sub.iect to wide variations from year to year. The influence of these 

 climatic variations is shown in corresponding variations in tree growth. Spruce 

 trees have grown for many years on the college lawn. When cut down, and a 

 cross section of the trunk is examined, the concentric layers of annual growth 

 clearly point out the good years of abundant rainfall, while the thin rings show 

 the years of unfavorable climatic conditions. The meteorological tables for the 

 last 34 years at this college, when comi)ared with "the tables in wood" of annual 

 growth, show very clearly the relations of climate to forest growth. 



FORESTS AND MOISTURE. 



Much has been written about the relation of forests to rainfall: some claiming 

 that rain is increased by forests, and others that there is no connection between 

 them. 



Geo. P. Marsh, in his admirable work, "Man and Nature," has pointed out how 

 forests restrain the rapid escape of the rain: preserving springs and small streams, 

 retarding floods, and mitigating drought. Their influence in preventing the drift- 

 ing of snow and keeping an even covering of that wonderful blanket for the sleep- 

 ing earth, is well recognized. 



