r:DITORIAL COM. M EXT 199 



and if one or two individuals with important papers had seen fit to be 

 present at the time agreed upon. 



General papers by Bryant and Clapp on general research work car- 

 ried on during the war were generally instructive, as was the rather 

 informal talk of Hirst on the work of the Xew England forestry units. 

 Similarly, the informal and impromptu talks at the smoker and dinner 

 were decidedly illuminating and interesting. Major Aloore told of 

 work and experiences in France, and Elwood Wilson and Leavitt told 

 of Canadian developments and plans, that of using hydroplanes in 

 locating forest fires being of more than ordinary interest. A general 

 discussion, led by Kellogg and Peters, on State forestry and policies, 

 showed how tangled this work could become. 



In general, the conferences, conversations, and discussions did much 

 to promote and advance new ideas, which will be carried into far fields, 

 and personal contact and acquaintance with other workers developed, 

 known previously only through correspondence and cold type. Alto- 

 gether, the sociability and general informality which marked the meet- 

 ings of the Society were features that created what is believed will be 

 a lasting impression, and many differences of opinion on phases of the 

 profession were ironed out and toned down, so that in the future 

 greater good and better understanding will develop. 



Edw. X. ]^Iuxxs. 



A Turning Point in New York 



Elsewhere in this issue is printed the resolution adopted by the Xew 

 York State Forestry Association at its recent meeting in Albany, 

 wherein that association goes on record as favoring a broad policy for 

 the economic use of forest land in the State— a policy looking forward 

 to the removal of the constitutional inhibition which at present pre- 

 vents effective use of the State Forest Preserve. The adoption of this 

 resolution may be a turning point in the development of forestry in 

 X"ew York State. It was adopted only after a heated discussion, in 

 which the issue was squarely drawn between the esthetic interests and 

 those who favor a wise, economic use of the State Forest Preserve. 



This matter is familiar to our readers, since the struggle has been 

 going on for many years. The Xew York State Forestry Association 

 attempted to straddle the fence and to combine in its membership the 

 divergent interests. This policy led to an intolerable situation, which 

 came to a head in the January meeting. The association has dwindled 

 in influence until the taunt was openly made that it was half dead or 



