190 



the .school yurds in the main are as destitute of trees as they were before 

 arbor day was projected. 



All of this shows iutei'est ; it further .shows a willingness to expend time 

 and effort and money in tree planting, but it also shows with equal clear- 

 ness that there has been enthusiasm without kno^^'ledge, and that in In- 

 diana the first steps in forestry from the standpoint of results are yet to be 

 taken. Incidentally it maj- be remarked that tree planting is not neces- 

 sarily forestry, it is merely a single phase of forestry. 



For the purpose of this paper we may omit the consideration of orna- 

 mental plantings, whether of streets or lawns or parks, and confine the 

 discussion to tlie wood-lot and to the denuded area which is to be refor- 

 ested. In the management of the wood-lot from the standpoint of conserva- 

 tion three things are .sought: (1) The largest amount of timber per acre 

 that the land will can-y; (2) the best quality of timber possible; (.3) the 

 production of this maximum quantity and optimum quality in the shortest 

 time possible. If these ends are accomplished there is evidently need of a 

 technical kno\^ledge which is usually not possessed by the landowner, 

 and which in the multiplicity of his activities he has no time to acquire. 

 If the largest quantity and best quality possible is secured from a given 

 area it will be because those species of trees are selected which are adapted 

 to the conditions of .soil, of moisture, and of climate. It will also be in 

 part because of species equally adav)te(l to a given locality, those which 

 make the more rapid growth, are more immune to insect and fungus in- 

 vasion, which are less sensitive to unfavorable climatic conditions, have 

 L'een chosen for encouragement. In a general way conditions which make 

 for a vigorous and healthy growth make also for the best quality of tim- 

 ber, whether we consider weight or strength or direction of fibre or 

 beauty of grain. In the large range of species available, in the variety, 

 indeed, found in the average wood-lot, how many landowners have a suf- 

 ficiently accurate knowledge upon these points to enable them to select 

 species for encouragement with such certainty as to insure profitable re- 

 turns? Taking the plantings referred to above, the failures came from 

 lack of knowledge, not from lack of interest or enthusiasm. Most of the 

 plantings were of black locust < r hardy catalpa, plaiiU<l, probalily. with trie 

 |)urpose of short rotation nuiniigciiiciit for jiost or tie stuff; but very often 

 locust was iilanted on ground wliiili in .-ill reason should have been planted 

 to cataljia .-ind catalpa was jilantcd on uround tar better suited to locust. 

 The result, of coui'se, lias been lailiire more or less coinplete, with loss of 



