FORESTRY. 155 



domain, with just compensation to those who now hold the title. The 

 cost to the state should not be very great, when all the facts in the case 

 are considered. 



Qur principal difficulties and obstacles are psychological; that is, they 

 are in the thought and feeling, habits and character of our people. We 

 are going on in the old paths because we have always followed them, and 

 it is easier to go on thus than to change our course. We do not readily 

 adapt ourselves to new conditions or even recognize their existence. We 

 are busy with our individual aftairs and interests; and we are not think- 

 ing much about any effect on the prosperity of the state, or even on the 

 welfare of our own children. There is not much popular interest in the 

 value of our forest and scenery. Even those of us who have our money 

 invested in mountain hotels and boarding houses and in the factories 

 using water power from the mountain streams, are mostly apathetic, 

 while the sawmill steadily cuts the ground from under our feet. We are 

 inclined to rest content with the comfortable reflection that "things will 

 last out our time," and to leave this problem, with many others, to our 

 children. We need the aid of the press of the country in awakening 

 public attention to the destruction of our scenery and water sources, and 

 the consequent impoverishment of the people of the state. I shall be 

 glad to receive suggestions from any source, and they will be carefully 

 considered by our commission. 



N. B. {Read the above with care, and apply it to Minnesota. We of the 

 far west are coming into the same leaky boat as New Hampshire and other 

 eastern states. The determination of the greed mongers is to so fix God's 

 bounties to his children, that no man can have anything by and by out- 

 side of the individualistic and monopolistic ring.) Secy. Minn. Forestry 

 Association. 



SOUTH DAKOTA FORESTRY. 



J. C. JONES, WATERTOWN, S. D. 



I had looked forward with a great deal of pleasure to the 1893 meeting 

 of the Minnesota Horticultural Society, especially such sessions as might 

 be devoted to forestry. I had fully intended being present, but matters 

 beyond setting aside prevent. 



I desire to say at the outset, that I am no scientist, am not posted in 

 any way in forestry matters, but am an enthusiast and yield to no human 

 being in my love and appreciation of trees. 



During my residence in South Dakota of fourteen years I have seen and 

 felt the necessity of groves and shelter belts. The second year after com- 

 ing to the state (then a territory), 1 planted in the untamed soil a lot 

 of box elders, cottonwoods and willows, likewise some small fruits. Be- 

 fore I left the claim a miniature grove had sprung up — thanks to my 

 watchful care, but one day a passing locomotive kindly fired the prairie, 

 and my pretty little grove was destroyed. 



When I took up my residence in Sioux Falls, I planted out some trees 

 around my first home with excellent success. Selling that home and buy- 

 ing another, again my love for the beautiful dominated, and more trees 

 were planted. Business interests calling me to Watertown, compelled me 

 to give up my Sioux Falls residence. History repeated itself and my 



