ANNUAL MEETING, MINN. STATE FORESTRY ASS'N. 23 



ber of interesting papers were presented, but lack of time did not 

 permit a discussion on them. 



Pres. Cross in his opening remarks outlined the work of the as- 

 sociation, past and present, and its relation to the various other fores- 

 try divisions now carried on by the state. "Its province is to be en- 

 thusiastic and even radical by nature. It must be continued as the 

 organized popular power back of advanced forestry movement. As 

 such it must keep the people informed, prod them when they become 

 indifferent and appeal to them in order to awaken an earnest interest 

 which will reach the law-making power." 



"A Lumberman's View of the Forestry Situation" was ably 

 given by Col. W. P. Allen, of St. Paul. Among the facts brought 

 out, he stated that the lumberman has little to apologize for, as he 

 has done his share towards the building up of the country and the 

 advancement of civilization. The barriers in the way of the rapid 

 inauguration of a rational forestry system in this country will be 

 mainly owing to the large area to be protected and difficulty of ob- 

 taining funds to meet the same; also inducing the government to at- 

 tempt a general system of forest management. Forest areas that 

 are left untouched are reasonably safe from destructive fires, and 

 the government should withdraw all its timber lands from the mar- 

 ket. Private parties cannot hold the same to advantage, whereas 

 the government can and should for the benefit of future genera- 

 tions, thereby regulating the sale and use of timebr. Our conditions 

 differ much from those of Germany, but their spirit is correct, and 

 we hope to learn much by studying their methods. 



Prof. S. B. Green, who spent some months the past season 

 studying "forestry conditions in Germany" and other places, gave a 

 very instructive talk on the above topic. It was not without consid- 

 erable self-sacrifice that this system was established, for at one time 

 Germany's forests suffered abuse nearly as much as ours. The 

 value of timber, system of protection and taxation were touched 

 upon. Although we cannot expect to adopt these methods, we 

 can obtain many good suggestions from this source to base upon. 

 A notable fact was that good roads and good forests accom- 

 panied each other. Lands not suited for agricultural purposes 

 are planted to forests. Our native jack pine is looked upon by them 

 as one of their most valuable trees for the sandy plains, and seed of 

 same commands a big price. It is a characteristic of the Germans 

 not to lay out money on land unless it pays, and their foresight in 

 the forest plantations is no exception to this rule. 



Dr. Leo. M. Crafts, of Minneapolis, brought out many facts in 

 his talk on the "Wisdom of the National Park ^Movement" to em- 



