PRACTICAL f^ORESTRY. 349 



PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



PROF. S. B. GREEN, ST. ANTHONY PARK. 

 (Read before the Minnesota State Forestry Association.) 



In my address before you last year I outlined in a general way 

 ■what a course in forestry should consist of and showed you that 

 most of the studies that were considered essential for a good for- 

 estcy course were already taught in the university, that all that was 

 needed in this connection was to group them together and have the 

 forestry side of them somewhat emphasized. In addition to this, 

 increased instruction would be necessary in two or three subjects 

 especially related to forestry, but the expense of establishing such 

 a school would not be very considerable. I also referred to the fact 

 that the demand today for skilled labor in forestry was exceedingly 

 limited and that it seemed probable that in the establishment of 

 practical forestry it would be most practicable to use considerable 

 of the help that is now employed in the harvesting of our wood 

 crops, but with some intelligent supervision. I have no special 

 reason to change my rather conservative views expressed at that 

 time, but I feel that the sentiment in favor of establishing such a 

 school and the sentiment in favor of the state of Minnesota doing 

 something to administer in a more intelligent way its great hold- 

 ings of forest land, has received something of an advancement. 



It seems to me that as an association we should lay special stress 

 upon the importance of the state taking the initiative, for it is the 

 largest holder of forest lands in this section and should set a good 

 example in administering such property. In order to have a for- 

 estry school established with much life in it, it is very desirable 

 and, I think, almost absolutely necessary, to have a forestry experi- 

 ment station conducted on practical lines. We can combine this 

 with a reservation or health resort, if we wish, but its primary object 

 should be that of making experiments in the growing of trees for 

 timber. As to where this should be located and how it should be 

 obtained, I am at loss to say. The United States government still 

 owns large holdings of forest lands in this state that would be well 

 adapted to this purpose, and possibly upon application by the board 

 of regents or the legislature, congress would donate to such a 

 school enough land for this purpose. Some of the state land, al- 

 though generally too much scattered for best results, could be used 

 very well for this purpose. The university has some considerable 

 salt spring lands that certainly ought to be managed on some for- 

 estry principles. 



I would like very much indeed to hear the opinion of the members 

 present on this matter and to have it given a full and free discus- 

 sion at this time. 



In the past the work in forestry, not only in this state but else- 

 where, has been marked by a large amount of theory and a comjmr- 

 atively small amount of practice. What we need to do now is to try 

 and reverse this and to have all of our reports, so far as possible, 

 based on a practical test of trees that have been found out to be most 

 valuable in this country under various economic conditions. I 



