TREE SEEDS SENT OVERSEAS 43 



of tree seeds to France, England and other European countries, 

 following up the precedent established in 1920 by the American 

 Forestry Association, when he was president of that organization. 



The seeds sent to France are shipped to arrive in February so 

 that they may be put immediately into nurseries. They have been 

 divided among the nurseries established in the devastated regions, 

 although the largest quantity has been sent to the Forestry School 

 and Arboretum at Les Barres in Loiret. Here has been collected 

 one of the most complete collections of trees and shrubs in the world, 

 and in connection with the school research is carried on and a large 

 nursery maintained. 



Both Andre Cheron, Minister of Agriculture, and M. L. Parde, 

 director of the Barres School, have reported important results. 

 Douglas Fir seeds have been the predominating species sent, proving 

 themselves highly adaptable. M. Parde also reports that much 

 valuable information has been obtained from plantations made with 

 seeds of the Sitka spruce, eastern larch and white ash. 



In a letter written in February, 1924, Director-General Carrier 

 acknowledges the receipt of the latest shipment as a valuable gift 

 " to contribute to the reforestation of the territories devastated by the 

 war or impoverished by the exploitation to satisfy the needs of the 

 Army." He adds : " Thanks to your generous activity, this species 

 so interesting from all points of view and too little represented in 

 France up to now, will grow in the most barren corners and in a 

 few decades tall trees, with ornamental foliage, will recall to the gener- 

 ations to come the cordial aid that you have given us." 



In England there is being carried forward a program of intensive 

 reforestation under the Forestry Commission headed by Major-Gen- 

 eral Lord Lovat. One hundred and fifty thousand acres are being 

 reforested by direct State action and 100,000 more acres by State 

 assistance to private owners and local authorities. In this work the 

 gift of American Tree Association seeds has been of considerable aid. 



Lord Lovat, during a recent visit to North America to attend the 

 British Empire Forestry Conference, reported that the seeds have 

 reached literally all corners of the British Isles. The Douglas Fir 

 did particularly well in Ireland. The 1921 seeds prospered when 

 planted in the Scotch Highlands at nurseries of South Laggan 

 among the Grampian Mountains. The 1922 seeds were divided 



