92 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fragmentary form, by Mr. Garfield, should entitle him to the gratitude of 

 every well-wisher of the human race. 



Let us see to it that we do something, individually and collectively, to 

 rehabilitate our beautiful state, in part, with timber-belts, windbreaks, and 

 shade trees for many beasts and birds. 



If we set but one tree individually, somebody will rise up and call us 

 blessed. 



VARIOUS OPINIONS. 



A. C. Glidden was disinclined to play the pessimist about the future, as it 

 was quite likely to care well for itself with respect to a timber supply as well 

 as other things. If we who are here owned the pine land we would cut the 

 timber and realize upon it; and all our talk here against the cutting of the 

 forests will make no difference. The arts will no doubt find for us some substi- 

 tute for wood. Perhaps it will be aluminum from the clay which lies about 

 us so plentifully. Stranger and more wonderful discoveries have been made 

 than this would be, and we would almost prophesy that this substitution o'' 

 aluminum for wood and iron would yet occur. He hopes to see more shade in 

 highways and door-yards, but not to see one-fourth of each farm kept in or 

 turned into forest. lie did not think the cutting of the forests had had so 

 much influence upon the climate as many believe it has. Mere cultivation of 

 the prairies had increased the rain-fall and the best thinkers, he b3lieved, 

 now teach that denudation of forests- has not decreased the amount of rain. 



W. A. Brown of Benton Harbor said Mr, Glidden might be right in this, 

 for the planting of crops had increased the rain west of the Missouri river. It 

 is true that with the forests we had a more equable climate and grew safely the 

 tenderer fruits, but the cutting of the trees was necessary. We may need to 

 replace them for sake of timber supply, for he doubted if any mineral substitute 

 would ever b3 found for good hickory or black walnut. We shall live more 

 pleasantly if we have more trees and our children will bless us if we plant 

 tiiem, especially those trees that bear nuts. The chestnut is very successlul 

 in Berrien county. He believes we should plant moie trees and that the 

 government should do something to replace those cut from great forests. 



A. C. Merritt of Gasco said that if asked with what objects of childbood his 

 tenderest emotions were associated, he would say they were the delightful old 

 chestnut trees. Since his growth to manhood he has planted and grown chest- 

 nut trees successfully. They may not be adapted to every soil — they will not 

 flourish on hard clay — but he urged young men to plant nut-bearing trees. 

 Chestnuts will come to bearing as early as apples or pears. Filled with such 

 zeal he once put out a lot of young hickories which more experienced men 

 soon told him were butternuts. He knows more about chestnuts, however, 

 and would always plant only fruit from those trees which grow three nuts in 

 a bur. He does not wish to see the forests swept away. Michigan is glorious 

 in her woodlands and it is our duty and that of the state to preserve that 

 glory. The future may be all right, but let us hand ^down to our children 

 aome of these good things we have enjoyed. 



