PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 185 



where the balsam fir, white pine, and white birch grow in conjunction with 

 a number of boreal plants. 



None of this land is worth much for agricultural purposes but from 

 a botanical standpoint and the standpoint of beauty, none are comparable 

 to them. Should not the state or various counties where these places 

 are located protect and preserve these from spoilation? 



I am glad for the healthy sentiment in this country that is trying 

 to preserve the scenic beauty of the Niagra gorge, and I wish that we 

 could not only raise our voices in behalf of these great American won- 

 ders, but that we might add to them by clothing the surroundings with 

 trees and forever dedicate them for the use of the American people. 



I think few of the cities of Iowa realize the beauty of certain of our 

 streams. There is scarcely a region in the west that can present so many 

 beautiful views as the distance lying between Savannah on the Missis- 

 sippi to New Albin in Allamakee county; it has truly been called the 

 Switzerland of Iowa. Along this great stream the railroads skirt it upon 

 each bank and beyond the railroad we have the timber with its precipi- 

 tous bluffs, timbered mostly with the young growth of mostly deciduous 

 trees of the oak, hard maple, the birch, the elm, hickory and butternut. 

 Here and there efforts have been made, especially near the cities of 

 Dubuque and Clinton, to utilize some of this for summer resorts. I wish 

 that every foot of this rough ground between St. Paul and Clinton might 

 not only be utilized for the growth of timber, as it is admirably suited 

 to be, but also for park purposes. 



The above subject naturally leads to a discussion of city forestry, a 

 matter that I called your attention to last year. The subject of city 

 forestry will become more and more important as the country becomes 

 older. I have before me a circular in which the status of the case is 

 pretty well stated. City forestry must eventually become equal in im- 

 portance to city park making, as the people learn more of the economic 

 value of inaugurating a system of practical management for the parkings, 

 boulevards, vacant lands, etc. The advisability of any city adopting 

 forestry would seem plain, when we consider, according to Mr. C. Jensen: 

 "I. That the parkings alone contain a greater combined area than the 

 parks. (Some cities have parkings, but no parks proper.) 



"II. That the parkings are seen by a greater number of people on a 

 greater number of days in the year than the parks. 



"III. That every taxpayer and resident would profit by it directly. 

 "IV. That from the economic as well as from the aesthetic stand- 

 point, extensive and judicious tree planting should precede any other 

 feature in beautifying grounds of any kind. 



"The backwardness of our cities in introducing forestry may be 

 ascribed to. the fact that forestry is comparatively new in this country 

 and as yet only a few men are properly trained to make working plans 

 for the management of municipal forests, parks and ornamental grounds." 

 I want to urge also particularly in this connection the importance of 

 establishing driveways along our streams. Many of our important cities 

 in the state of Iowa are located on streams. Adjacent to these streams 

 we should have public parks and where convenient a wide and ample 

 driveway should be provided along the stream. How much more beautiful 



