MICHIGAN 



ROADS 



FORESTS 



DETROIT, MICH., AUGUST, 1909. 



MICHIGAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 



The Michigan Forestry Association was organized in Grand Rapids August 30, 1905, having for its object the promotion of a ra- 

 tional system of forestry in Michigan. The society is managed by the following roster of officers: President, John H. Bissell, of Detroit; 

 Vice-President. Morrice Quinn, Saginaw; Secretary, Henry G. Stevens, Detroit; Treasurer, W. B. Mershon, Saginaw, W. S. Board of 

 Directors S. M. Lemon, Grand Rapids; H. N. Loud. Au Sable; Thos. B. Wyman, Munising; E. C. Nichols, Battle Creek; R. Hanson, Gray- 

 ling; Geo. X. Brady, Detroit. 



A CLEAR STATEMENT 



FROM MR. MERSHON 



The Public Domain Commission of Michi- 

 gan made public the fact that it had requestei! 

 William B. Mershon of Saginaw to appear be- 

 fore it to explain why he expected to d: 

 rtain young trees on the state fo: 

 reserve, as the commission understood, and by 

 what right. 



Mr. Mershon in his reply to the comimV 

 says: 



"The explanation is very simple: Two years 

 ago the forestry ccmmission realized that the 

 appropriation for carrying on the work of re- 

 ding and taking care of the forest reserves 

 of the state was so small that it would not per- 

 mit of the raising of the trees and seedlings 

 they had and caring for them: that already 

 the state had on hand more seedlings than ii 

 could possibly ?et out: and that with the 

 planting of that year there would be sufficient 

 area covered to use up all of the money avail- 

 able .in protecting from lire and caring for 

 the same. At considerable expense seed beds 

 had been constructed that would become value- 

 ind the supply of young trees for planting 

 oil the lands in Michigan, whether public or 

 private, would soon be exhausted. The com- 

 mission did succeed in giving away or selling a 

 large share of the million or more seedlings in 

 the seed beds a year ago last spring; they al! 

 were put out on Michigan lands and accomp- 

 lished one of the objects for which the for- 

 e<try commission was created. 



"The Au Sable Forest Farm, a corporation 

 owned equally by Messrs. C. H. Davis and my- 

 self of Saginaw: C. W. Ward, of Detroit, and 

 F. B. Squire, of Cleveland, made this offer to 

 the state forester, which was accepted and ap- 

 proved by the forestry commission, namely: 

 That our forest farm would furnish sufficient 

 seeds to rill the seed beds and pay the wages 

 of the men necessary to plant and care for 

 them until safd seedlings reached the age of 

 two years, at which time they would take them 

 and set them out on the Au Sable Forest Farm 

 lands on the Au Sable river. If the state 

 needed some of the seedlings they could make 

 an exchange in some way, that it would be an 

 opportunity for keeping the Michigan forest 



re-serve seed beds in operation, not going to 

 rack and ruin, and it would help defray the ex- 

 pense of the maintenance and the general costs 

 that are bound to exist anyhow, as there was a 

 superintendent, teams, etc.. that had to be 

 mair.taincd whether seed beds were planted or 

 not. The seeds were bought from a dealer 

 down in ihe Adirondacks in Xew York, and 

 shipped up there in the spring of 1908. On 

 planting, it was found that there were more 

 seeds than enough to fill the beds, so the Au 

 Sable Forest Farm bought the lumber, lath 

 and wire netting to make the additional beds 

 and sent the same over to Higgins lake. The 

 seedlings were a year old this spring and ordi- 

 narily about one to two inches in height. Xext 

 spring, when they are two years old. they will 

 be large enough to transplant. Then the Au 

 Sable Fore>t Farm wants them for setting out 

 en their own lands, and not for selling or any- 

 thing of the kind, and expects to make an ad- 

 justment of all costs that have been incurred 

 liy the fores.t commission or the public domain 

 commission cr dividing the seedlings with the 

 public domain commission on an equitable ba- 

 sing anything that will be just and 

 fair to both parties and accomplish what is 

 c.-'rnestly desired to have done, namely the 

 setting cut of just as many trees as possible on 

 Michigan lands under proper conditions and 

 by people that will insure that they are prop- 

 erly taken care of and will grow." 



Public Domain Commission. 

 Another step has been taken by the Public 

 Domain Commission of Michigan towards in- 

 . creasing the immigration of good citizens into 

 the state to take up the land which may be 

 offered from time to time. 



A resolution adopted provides that Land Com- 

 missioner Russell shall secure descriptions of 

 state tax lands, what can be raised on it, the 

 nature of the soil, and other like facts of in- 

 terest to a prospective purchaser. The effort 

 will be to make the description so complete 

 that it will serve to take the place of a visit i<> 

 the property. In this way the average man 

 who desire> to purchase, but has not money 

 enough to go to the land offered for sale, can 

 buy "unsight, unseen'' and not be fooled into 

 getting rocky soil, or land under water. "Forty 

 per cent of our correspondence consists of in- 



quiries about land the state has to sell," say- 

 Commissioner Russell. "Xow all that we can 

 tell them is where the land is situated." 



The Public Domain Commission at its Aug- 

 . -t -ession authorized the sale of a number of 

 city lots in Muskegcn. Oct. 5. This is the first 

 time that any land which had reverted to the 

 state for taxes has been offered for sale at any 

 ether place but Lansing. 



Al! coal, mineral and gas rights on all of the- 

 state lands are to be reserved by the land com- 

 missioner. This action is the result of action 

 by the Public Domain Commission at its last 

 meeting. 



William Kelly, of the state college of mines. 

 was authorized to prepare a list of capable men 

 lor the position of state forester. The appoint- 

 ment will be made next month at the meeting 

 f.i the board. 



President Doherty has appointed the follow- 

 ing committees: Executive and fire, Martin- 

 dale. Kelly and Beal: finance. Fuller, Russell 

 r.nd Kelly: forestry. Beal, Martindale and 

 Kelly: land sales and timber sales, Russell. 

 Fuller and Martindale: timber, coal, oil and 

 cas lands. Kelly. Beal and Russell: trespass. 

 P.us>ell, Fuller and Beal: water rights. Mar- 

 tindale. Kelly and Fuller. 



WANT MORE FOREST RANGERS. 

 An examination to fill vacancies in the rang- 

 er force on 149 national forests in twenty-one 

 -tates and territories, including Alaska, will be 

 held on Oct. 25 and 26. From this examination 

 it is expected that 500 appointments will be 

 made. The rapid development of the national 

 - making continually increasing de- 

 mands on those engaged in their care and men 

 with ability to serve in supervisory capacities 

 are in demand. The more responsible posi- 

 tions are filled by promotion from lower 



Only men who are at least 21 years of age 

 and not more than 40, temperate and in good 

 physical condition are eligible to take the ex- 

 amination. The salary paid to beginners is 

 S'.mO a year. 



