NEWS AND NOTES 



An article in a recent issue of the Peking Gazette demonstrates 

 China's wide-awake recognition that reforestation is among the 

 first problems the young Republic has to deal with. 



During the last centuries practically nothing has been done in 

 this country for the conservation of forests or planting of waste 

 places, of which China has vast stretches. This summer the 

 Minister of Agriculture and Commerce and the United States 

 Consul together planted commemorative trees on the famous 

 Purple Mountain, situated in the vicinity of Nanking city. Ad- 

 dressing the large gathering assembled on this occasion the Min- 

 ister announced that shortly a law would be passed appointing 

 an Arbor Day for China. A similar ceremony had been per- 

 formed by the Acting Minister earlier in the spring on the West- 

 ern Hills, through which a tour was made for the purpose of 

 educating the people to a realization of the importance of fores- 

 try. Following these examples, a noted general, with other 

 military officers and soldiers, planted a large number of trees on 

 a hill within the city of Nanking. A feature of this ceremony 

 was the donation by the General of 10 thousand young trees for 

 general distribution and the promise that he himself would be 

 responsible for funds to reforest the whole of this large hill. 



Already a large government nursery, controlled by the Min- 

 istry of Agriculture and Commerce, has been established in 

 Peking, and experimental tree planting has been started on the 

 Western Hills not far away. Last year nearly half a million trees 

 of different species were set out, and it is expected that the 

 number planted this year will reach over a million. The work 

 of reforestation of these hills is participated in by all the students 

 at the School of Agriculture maintained by the government, and 

 other agricultural schools use the government nurseries and 

 experimental station as a training ground for the practical side 

 of their studies. Over 300 men, students and hired laborers, 

 worked side by side this spring reforesting the slopes of the 

 Western Hills. 



The establishment recently of a forest school in the University 

 of Nanking is further evidence of the earnestness with which 

 China is taking up the work. We hope to see large results follow 

 these vigorous efforts. 



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