IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 53 



FORESTRY IN IOWA. 



BY B. SHIMEK. 



A paper on forestry in Iowa might be condensed in the 

 form of a paraphrase of the schoolboy's essay on "Snakes 

 in Ireland," — "there is no forestry in Iowa," — at least none 

 in practice, though the need of the practical application of 

 its principles may be seen in every township of land in the 

 state. 



Fifteen or twenty years ago the total forest area of low^a 

 probably exceeded the area covered by the original native 

 groves which sheltered the first settlers who saw in them 

 the only hope of future happy homes. The restriction of 

 prairie fires, the removal of the larger trees and the general 

 artificial improvement of the conditions under which 

 plants grow, all tended to extend the native groves beyond 

 their original bounds, and it appeared for a time as if a large 

 part of the state might ultimately be clothed with forest 

 growth. But the population of the state, and the value of 

 its lands, increased at a remarkable rate, for the experi- 

 ment of the settlers who first ventured out upon the 

 prairies and who reaped rich harvests in return, proved 

 eminently successful. 



Iowa lands were rapidly taken up, and there was a revul- 

 sion of sentiment against the timber and in favor of the 

 prairie. Even the hilliest, poorest land was regarded as 

 more valuable for agricultural purposes and pasture than 

 for timber, and the groves rapidly disappeared, and are 

 still disappearing, in many sections, to be replaced by poor 

 pastures or still poorer farms, wdiile comparatively less 

 effort has been made to extend the artificial groves on the 

 prairies. The temptation to destroy the original groves 

 was increased by the fact that, while the legislature made 



