368 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



of forestry would have uppn the health, comfort and wealth of this 

 country cannot be measured. Some effort to replace the destroyed 

 forests will, in the not distant future, become a necessity, but how 

 it will be accomplished time alone can tell. 



It is to be remembered that recently the government has under- 

 taken to preserve for the future use, under proper restrictions, large 

 areas of timber lands which are, as j'et, in the virgin state. A list 

 has been furnished bj' the department, showing the aggregate to be 

 over 17,000,000 acres, divided as follows in the different states and 

 territories: 



Alaska 1,851,520 New Mexico 311,040 



Arizona 355,520 Oregon 4,653,440 



California 6,238,729 Washington 967,680 



Colorado 3,101,360 Wyoming 1,239,040 



How far this policy should be extended to other states, would 

 seem proper for discussion bj'- such bodies as yours. The great 

 Red Lake reservation, of northern Minnesota, as well as other smaller 

 reserves, which are soon to be plated upon the market under exist- 

 ing laws, might be added to the forest reserve; otherwise, they must 

 soon fall before the savage attacks of the energetic lumbermen of 

 our state, assisted by those of Canada. Bj- this means four billion 

 feet of timber might be preserved for future use. Should you un- 

 dertake to secure legislation to this end, you would encounter seri- 

 ous obstruction, both in this state and Canada, as well; for it is a fact 

 that the Canadians, who have cut thousand of millions on the north- 

 ern slope of the state, have had resident side partners who were 

 potent powers in state and national legislation, to open and smooth 

 the way of the Canadian lumbermen in Minnesota. 



The appalling magnitude of the destruction of timber in the 

 Northwest will, perhaps, be made plainer to you by giving the 

 lumber statistics of the cut of white pine in the Northwest for 1892, 

 saying nothing of the enormous hardwood cut. The number of 

 feet is as follows: 



On Mississippi, above Minneapolis 109,863,378 



At Minneapolis 488,724,624 



On main river between Minneapolis and St. Louis 931,806,305 



On St. Croix river 175,891,427 



On Black river 240.678,500 



In Chippewa valley 208.833,782 



In Duluth district 349.394,(K)0 



St. Paul dc Duluth railway 7:^,U55,(T<)0 



Ashland district 273;_'29,S77 



St. Paul & Omaha railway 286,311,383 



Wisconsin Central railway 301,806,875 



In Wisconsin valley 4.56,153,872 



Sault Ste. Marie railway 293,.565,541 



In Red River valley (estimated) 100,000.000 



Taken to Canada, (N. \V.) 1.50.000,000 



Total 4,530,215,565 



Gentlemen, from these figures it is apparent that the field open 

 before 3'ou is wide, and its cultivation demands all your energy and 

 wisdom. If 3-0U can accomplish the objects of your association and 



