HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 139 



Mr. Folsom said that he would like to champion a timber cul- 

 ture law. He thought that the law in its practical workings was a 

 failure. It was designed to give forty acres for timber purposes 

 but it was cut down to ten acres. He referred to the provisions 

 of the act in force, claiming that its provisions were such as to 

 make it practically a failure. It was very seldom that ten acres 

 of good thrifty trees could be found on any tree claim, whereas it 

 was contemplated that ten acres of trees would be growing on every 

 timber claim. The timber culture act was a failure, because it 

 gave speculators a chance to secure the public lands without be- 

 coming actual settlers. He had seen instances where parties had 

 gone on the prairie and taken up claims, and made a mere pre- 

 tence of carrying out the provisions of the law. They took the 

 claims for speculative purposes, and not for the benefit of the 

 farm. Some of the best lands in Minnesota and Dakota had gone 

 into the hands of speculators in this way. He insisted the law was 

 a failure. In one sense it would be the salvation of Dakota, Ne- 

 braska and Kansas, as well as the western portion of this state, if 

 trees could be grown as they should be. He had been through 

 this treeless portion of the country. These hot currents of air are 

 often very destructive to growing crops, especially to grass, corn 

 and wheat. The electrical influence exerted at times was some- 

 thing remarkable. He didn't pretend to be a philosopher, but he 

 believed that when the country lost its timber its doom was sealed, 

 and it would become as barren a waste as some countries we read 

 about. 



He didn't work for reputation or glory in championing a cause 

 of this kind; he had always been interested in it. He said some 

 of his friends who had known him intimately many years had 

 known of the efforts he had made to get various societies interested 

 in this subject. He had not heard whether the forestry association 

 was in existence, for several years. He had been raising trees 

 himself on his own claim, and when they failed he felt he was too 

 old to make another effort. He hoped the Horticultural Society 

 would be able to accomplish something in awakening a deeper 

 interest in this matter. He was satisfied that it was almost impos- 

 sible to raise small fruits in this western country without trees 

 and forest protection. One-fourth of the country should be de- 

 voted to forestry in order to guarantee success in horticultural 

 pursuits. 



Mr. Barrett. I represent the prairie country. I know all about 

 these terrible winds that have been alluded to. As has been stated 

 we do not ask the repeal of the present law. If congress should 



