236 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



which thus far are promising-. Of course this is a hint for you to 

 keep in mind, and our association will be grateful for any favors of 

 the kind. 



The date of holding the annual meetings of this society being 

 changed, it necessarily divorces the joint sessions heretofore so 

 harmoniouslj' obtaining. Speaking, as I know I do, for the associ- 

 ation, this divorcement shall not separate our inutual work in a 

 common cause; our hands shall hold closer your hands, if that can 

 be, and our hearts beat together in oneness of fellowship. We of 

 the association propose to attend j^our meetings, working- with 5'ou, 

 and can reasonably' anticipate that you will reciprocate this courtesy 

 by meeting with us, working together again for forestry in its inter- 

 changeable relation with horticulture. 



The new departure of forestry involves greater responsibilities 

 than the past. We must build upon what has been gained bj^ earn- 

 est endeavor and self-sacrifice. We discover now that what seemed 

 losses and mistakes, were victories of mental experience to profit 

 by. The better educative 'Work is begun, the more practical follows. 



Our association has recently issued a modest little paniphlet? 

 entitled "Forestry in our Schools." It has been widely distributed 

 throughout the state and is most cordially received. Its design is 

 to help instructors in awakening and directing the youth in love 

 and care for trees. Its educational methods are simply suggestive 

 and hopefully pleading for the hearty co-operation of the schools. 

 Of course such discipline is too diffusive and rudimental to meet 

 the full necessities of the situation. 



Noting the rapid growth of our experiment station and its divis- 

 ions in public favor and patronage, any one can foresee that it ia 

 destined to be to the state what a governmental forestry school is to 

 Germany or France and far better adapted to our needs than a mon- 

 archical system of forestr3^ 



Let us then understand the duty assigned us and consider the 

 fact that we have but just begun it. The forestrj'^ inovement in 

 Minnesota has gestated enough to show that it has two ruddy arms 

 to its stalwart body, raising trees and saving trees. They must not 

 be allowed to antagonize each other, but we trust both will antago- 

 nize the policy, growing in favor, that if fires are kept out of our 

 forests they will develop all that is needful. Keeping out the fires 

 is a great achievement, but to slop right there is about as credible 

 as it would be for the horticulturist to plant an orchard and let it 

 take care of itself, bound in wild grasses and devoured by rabbits 

 and insects. The treatinent necessary to lasting success with our 

 planted trees is equally applicable to our native trees. There is no 

 substantial hope for practical forestry unless we do keep out the 

 fires, but we must also keep out browsing stock, cut only for forest 

 improvement, thin out for hardy and profitable growth, exterminate 

 preying rodents and insects, preserve continuity of shade for water 

 economj^, and thus perpetuate the lumber industry and the health- 

 fulness and beauty of the state. 



