ANNUAL MEETING, I9O4, MINNESOTA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 27 



In the business meeting which followed the regular session 

 the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: 



President — C. M. Loring, Minneapolis. 



Vice-President — S. M. Owen, Minneapolis. 



Executive Committee — Wyman Elliot, Minneapolis ; Prof. 

 Sam'l B. Green, St. Anthony Park ; O. C. Gregg, Lynd ; A. W. 

 Latham, Minneapolis. 



ANNUAL ADDRESS, PRESIDENT MINNESOTA 

 FORESTRY ASSOCIATION, 1904. 



C. M. LORING, PRES. 



Gentlemen of the State Forestry Association : 



It is with sincere regret that I cannot report greater progress 

 in our work for the past year, and yet I believe some has been 

 made and some good accomplished through the reports of our 

 annual meetings v/hich were published in the Minnesota Horti- 

 culturist. The evidence of this is seen in the interest which has 

 been aroused throughout the state in the associations for benefit- 

 ing the homes in the cities and villages, and in the formation of 

 Farmers' Clubs. Streets have been planted with shade trees, 

 homes beautified with trees and shrubs, and farm buildings sur- 

 rounded with groves. 



In some sections of the state there has been a wonderful 

 transformation ; prairies once dotted with buildings standing ex- 

 posed to the sun and wind now have masses of foliage screening 

 the buildings, which seem like beautiful islands in an emerald 

 sea, and homes which once seemed so desolate and forbidding 

 to the passing traveler now have an air of comfort which 

 can only be obtained through the planting of trees and shrubs, 

 that cool the air, protect them from the rays of the summer sun 

 and set them in a frame of green which makes an attractive fea- 

 ture in the landscape. 



Through the lack of funds, it has been impossible to provide 

 the literature which should be circulated throughout the state to 

 aid those who are striving for better conditions but do not re- 

 ceive the information they desire to make their work successful. 

 It is to be hoped that at the coming session of the legislature it 

 may be made to realize that the work of the State Forestry As- 

 sociation is of great importance for the prosperity of the state, 

 and that it is of an entirely different nature from that of the 

 State Forestry Board, that the one does not in the least conflict 

 with the other, and that it will make a small appropriation to 

 enable us to carry on the work which is of so much importance 

 to the farming interests. 



All over our country there has been an awakening to the 

 necessity of educating the people in forestry, both in its relation 

 to the farm and to commerce. One city, Los Angeles, Cal., re- 

 cently decided to plant a forest on a 3,000 acre tract that was 

 presented it some few years ago for a public park. This forest 

 park will be enjoyed much more than the barren land which has 



