28o The Journal of Forestry. 



advance of civilization. To the former of these the white, like the yellow 

 pine, evidently belongs, a very important circumstance in connection with 

 its proposed culture. 



Already I have the satisfaction to announce, and desire the fact be 

 placed on record, that my firm which is interested in forestry has embarked 

 in the planting of the white pine on the seaboard of Virginia, and though 

 the time is too short to state the actual success of such plantations, there 

 is every reason to expect good results. If the question be asked, why 

 plant white pine when the yellow springs up indigenously, spontaneously 

 on every abandoned corn-field of that region ? The answer is simply, 

 because there is no present possibility of a short supply of the yellow, and 

 the white is under all conditions worth double the money in the market, 

 and produced on the seaboard can be transported by water at immeasur- 

 ably less cost than from the far north ; beside, land without undergrowth, 

 thus ready for planting, can be purchased at small cost ; and it affords a 

 prospect of recuperation for that section which no other industry presents. 

 In a patriotic aspect it is therefore worthy of attention. Tens of thousands 

 of acres, hundreds of square miles of worn-out corn and cotton lands lie 

 contiguous to the sea, whilst their owners stand with folded arms waiting 

 for something to turn up. These lands won't pay for tillage in grain, and 

 grass for pasturage is not enduring. To buy fertilizers is out of the 

 question, and it is cheaper to emigrate to the rich bottoms of the Missis- 

 sippi, where cotton is the desired staple. 



Whilst the broad prairies of the west and the natural grass-fields beyond 

 the Missouri and on the Pacific coast invite the immigrant from abroad, 

 and the native seeking a new home, the south is likely to be overlooked. 

 What then is to be done ? Ee-clothe the abandoned or at least neglected 

 lands with forests, as in the days of the early English settlers, and the 

 whole scene will have changed ; prosperity, will once more visit that region, 

 and with accrued capital, better systems of tillage, and free schools estab- 

 lished at every cross-road, sectional differences will disappear, and we shall 

 be henceforth a united people. In Europe forest culture — the planting of 

 forests for timber — as all present knovv, has been long successfully pursued ; 

 and the practical processes are taught, I believe, at all the agricultural 

 schools. Long ago, however, ere such colleges were established, no incon- 

 siderable progress had been made in that direction by owners of large 

 estates, notably in Scotland, where larch-planting was introduced in 1738, 

 by the Duke of Athol, and so successfully prosecuted as to be familiar to 

 you all. In Germany and France similar progress has been made j artifi- 

 cially formed forests being met with on every hand, the developed pines, 

 spruces, and firs planted at uniform distances, and possessing symmetry of 

 growth, the branches interlaced far overhead, reminding one of the pillars 

 of some stately cathedral. Now what I desire on the present occasion is 

 simply to drop a few hints which may induce reflection. I aim only at so 

 much, not to instruct, for I am myself a student. If anything which I 

 may say shall be found to bear fruit hereafter, I shall be compensated. 

 Among other things I wish to start the inquiry whether in our classifica- 



