58 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Finally I want to say something about general tree planting. We have 

 become keenly interested in that side of the bureau's activity and are 

 looking forward to results of very great importance, especially from 

 last summer's study of the possibilities of unoccupied lands of Nebraska. 

 Unquestionably great stretches of the arid Middle West are capable of 

 producing and sustaining a tree growth after the first restorative step 

 has been taken by man. Forest plantations a little farther east have 

 after a time assumed the characters of a natural forest, have reproduced 

 themselves, made a forest floor, brought a forest fauna and flora together, 

 and have begun to spread. That means that, once started, these forests 

 are capable of sustaining themselves indefinitely. We all want to see 

 this thing tested on a large scale still farther west. There are immense 

 tracts out there, which under forest, are capable of producing much more 

 than they can in any other way, and I believe our investigations in^that 

 direction are going to be exceedingly useful. 



The tree planting work in the east, also, and in connection with the 

 railroads, is going to demand more and more attention. Much of the 

 field is largely unexplored as yet, but the work must go ahead. 



This, with some other allusions, is a hasty and imperfect glance at 

 the forest work ahead. It is enough, however, to give a sense of the great 

 opportunities and an enormous task. Only a few years ago. it often 

 seemed as if we were going to lose both the reserves we had and a chance 

 to make new ones. Now the outlook is attractive. The lesson of this 

 great outlook seems to be that we must all work together, whatever our 

 affiliations may be. 



Those of us who are engaged in forest work must see that the general 

 progress of forestry is the aim; that the progress of forestry as a unit 

 includes the prosperity of particular organizations. 



MICHIGAN PROBLEMS. 



This brings us again to the point of very great interest, the coopera- 

 tion of the federal government with state organizations in forest work, 

 and here I want to say something about Michigan. 



The chief problems of the forestry situation in Michigan are: 



1. Favorable legislation at the next session of the State legislature. 



2. Collection of data to form the basis for a census of the forest 

 resources of the State and the economic conditions of its forest lands. 



3. Practical experiments in conservative lumbering, in fire protec- 

 tion, natural reproduction, tree planting, etc. 



4. Reforestation of the vast area of pine stump land belonging to the 

 State. 



5. Investigations of a scientific character to throw light upon the 

 present condition of stump land and its future. 



6. Study of the tax and trespass problems. 



1. Directly dependent upon favorable action by the next legislature, 

 which shall extend the powers and resources of the forest commissioners, 

 is the opportunity (1) for gathering necessary data with regard to the 

 forest resources of the State, (2) for practical experiments along various 

 lines of forest work, (3) for scientific investigation and (-i) for coopera- 

 tion with the federal government and State institutions. 



