1^6 NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN. 



cited as illustrations both of the fact that sites exist and that 

 people need and appreciate them. The " Backbone," in Dela- 

 ware, is ideal. Here are cliffs and rocks, woods, rivers and 

 bountiful springs and, what is rare in Iowa, clusters of native 

 pine. Hundreds of people visit the locality every year, and 

 hundreds more would do so were the roads leading to the 

 park in more passable condition, and especially were the 

 grounds a park properly managed and controlled instead of, 

 as now, a cow-pasture, so crowded as to jeopardize everything 

 green it contains. The " Den," in Muscatine County might 

 be referred to in the same way. I believe it is not yet too late 

 to find in possibly three-fourths of our Iowa counties, suitable 

 sites, grounds, for the purposes contemplated in this argument. 

 The second count in the way of objection is a real difficulty 

 whose gravity I do not for a moment attempt to minimize. 

 How to secure, own and care for several hundred, or for that 

 matter, several thousand acres of land to be used by all the 

 people is a problem, especially under our form of government. 

 Were we in the old world we should find no difficulty. Such 

 localities are owned by the king or his equivalent and are 

 cared for and guarded with the same assiduity as any other 

 private property. Nevertheless the people have free use of 

 the most splendid parks and beautiful woods in the world. 

 The same thing can be true of the United States, of Iowa, 

 hopeless as the task may now seem. In the eastern states a 

 movement to this end is even now discernible. What Mr. 

 Vanderbilt is doing in North Carolina at Biltmore, will doubt- 

 less be done presently in all our mountainous and forested stales. 

 This is another opportunity for our millionaires, and forest- 

 foundations properly established will prove for future genera- 

 tions rich in benediction as any University endowment left in 

 the name of whatsoever state or sect. In Massachusetts five 

 years since a movement was inaugurated for the accomplish- 

 ment of similar purposes in New England. A board of trus- 

 tees, by legislature au'.horized to act, becomes the legatee of 

 suitable property donated for public use, becomes the curators 

 of such grounds, and the custodians of funds bequeathed for the 



