507 



Nutrition will be obtained from these sources to give support to the 

 pines. 



The rocky hills among us, which have been left bare, might be im- 

 proved by being planted with the rock chestnut oak or with the larch. 

 The barren hills of Scotland have been planted by the Duke of Athol, 

 who has many thousands of acres under forest cultivation. The char- 

 acter of soils is dependent upon the rocks out of which they are formed. 

 The geology of Scotland in many parts resembles that of Massachu- 

 setts. The experiment of the Duke of Athol has been perfectly suc- 

 cessful ; and the land on which these plantations have been formed, 

 has vastly increased in value. We have many thousands of acres of 

 what are now barren rocky hills, of a character extremely similar to 

 what have been thus converted into forest. 



Mr Emerson expressed confidently his belief that there is not an 

 acre of land in the State which cannot be redeemed and made more 

 or less valuable ; even the wet marshes, where grass does not grow, or 

 which yield no valuable product. There is probably no marsh, how- 

 ever waste and unproductive, which might not be redeemed by planting 

 the white cedar or some other tree. The seeds of the white cedar 

 might be scattered upon the marsh, and in most instances would 

 presently take root. He has seen many acres which have been sown 

 with this tree, by the processes of nature, within the memory of man. 

 The cedar is a prolific tree ; and often grows so closely in a swamp 

 that you cannot get through it — in such unlimited abundance have the 

 seeds been sown. 



The forest land, the unimproved and that which is called unimprova- 

 ble, constitute nearly one half of the territory of the State, or above 

 2,000,000 of acres — the whole of the territory being, according to the 

 I'ecent valuation, somewhat less than 4,500,000 acres. The whole of 

 this might be devoted to trees. 



Mr. Emerson then proceeded to speak of the uses of the forest. He 

 noticed first its influence upon climate. Since the forests have been cut 

 off, the climate of the country has been essentially changed. The for- 

 est collects moisture. Since the wood has been cut away, in many 

 places where there were formerly streams with water sufficient to drive 

 mills throughout the year, no perennial streams are now to be found. 

 A forest is a great reservoir of moisture. The roots form a spongy 

 mass, v/hich retains the moisture ; the leaves check its evaporation. — 

 Under these circumstances it must have a material influence upon cli- 

 mate in rendering it mois 



