64 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



nized it by an appropriation, but if what we understand by a 

 state forestry association is an institution composed of live men, 

 imbued with a knowledge of the work they are engaged in. and 

 with a desire to get together all the information that properly 

 comes within its scope, and to disseminate that information to 

 the people of their state, there is no forestry asso- 

 ciation in the state of Minnesota, and there never has been, or 

 if there ever was it died a natural death. I claim that forestry 

 is even of more vital importance to the masses of people in the 

 state of Minnesota than horticulture. Without forests we might 

 soon fold up our hands, for greedy men and the wants of manu. 

 facture have commenced to devastate our forests and are fixing 

 a road for those northern winds to come down here, and in a 

 short time it will be impossible to raise any fruit except under 

 glass. With such winters as we have had for three years one 

 is apt to forget these things; but if we do not stop this devasta- 

 tion of the forests, and if we do not commence planting forests, 

 and that pretty soon, we might as well abandon horticultural 

 work and seek a place more congenial for man to live. Now if 

 there is no forestry association it seems to me that it is the 

 duty of us as horticulturists to lead the way and try to stir up 

 an interest and have a forestry association organized, and let 

 us go before the legislature, now in session at St. Paul, and ask 

 them to increase our appropriation to such an extent that we 

 can afford to hold a forestry convention once a year three or 

 four days and discuss the forestry question as we discuss the 

 fruit question. We ought to have an appropriation sufficient 

 to pay the expenses of men who will devote their time to the 

 work. 



Now one or the other we ought to do, and I hope when the 

 committee makes its report upon the address of the president 

 they will bring in a resolution stating what we had better do, 

 whether we had better apply to the legislature for proper aid. 

 or whether we had better with our friends throughout the 

 country organize a society independent of us. 



President Elliot: I will appoint as a committee on the 

 president's address, Clarence Wedge, L . H . Wilcox and J . T . 

 Grimes . 



L. H. Wilcox: Our legislature seems to think that forestry 

 was amply provided for, for in 1883. they set aside a certain 

 fund to be devoted to forestry, and that fund amounts to six or 

 seven hundred dollars a year, and for the last six or seven 



