THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF SYLVICULTURE. 265 



number to give a good series of reserves, groups of coniferous 

 trees might be planted, under which afterwards the oak might 

 reappear, the conifers serving to give a considerable amount of 

 useful produce. The fifth subject was the address by M. Melard, 

 to which reference has already been made ; and the sixth was a 

 paper by M. Guyot on the subject of international legislation for 

 mountain forest lands. The seventh subject was that of the use 

 of exotic, acclimatized, or naturalized species of trees in forest 

 growth. The cultivation of exotic trees at Vaux (Loir et Cher) 

 was described by M. Cannon, and an important paper was read 

 by M. de Vilmorin on the exotic forest trees found in France ; 

 while M. Parde, whose experience of the cultivation of exotic 

 trees was drawn from those of the Domaine des Barres, in the 

 Loiret, originally planted by the De Vilmorin family, and now 

 the property of and worked by the State, described tbe chief 

 exotic forest trees from the forest point of view. It was agreed 

 that more experiments were required, and that the results of such 

 experiments should be carefully watched, recorded, and made 

 public. The eighth subject was that of experimental stations, 

 and here also it was agreed that more such stations were wanted 

 in France, and that they should be better connected with each 

 other, the results of their researches being regularly published. 



In the Second Section, the first subject discussed was forest 

 meteorology, and the influence of forests on the subterranean- 

 waters in the plains regions ; the result of the discussion being 

 that it was agreed that more accurate study of the action of 

 forests on springs and on hail-storms required to be undertaken 

 at all experimental stations, and that orographic maps ought to 

 be prepared showing the density of forest growth in different 

 regions, so that the question might be more fully discussed at the 

 next Congress. The rest of the subjects chiefly regarded the 

 great works undertaken in France for the restoration of denuded 

 mountain slopes; the works necessary for the protection of 

 mountain forests from avalanches ; the regulation of hill pasture ; 

 the reclothing of dunes on the sea-coast; and the protection of 

 forests from fire. The latter subject gave rise to a long discus- 

 sion, in which many foreign foresters took part, the general gist 

 of which was to show the great importance which the subject 

 possesses for all those forest lands where fire is possible and the 

 means of prevention inadequate. 



The Third Section was chiefly occupied in discussing the 



