FORESTRY AND ARBORICULTURE. 77 



told me I was only six miles from the State House, and I 

 was just as much in the wilderness as if I had lieen in the 

 Adirondack woods ; I could not see out. But when you 

 come into this county and talk about setting out trees, I say 

 they will grow faster than j^ou can take care of them. 



Mr. Robinson. I rather think the gentleman agrees with 

 me more than he thinks he does. I said that the national 

 forests were lieing destroyed, but the forests in Massachusetts 

 are rather increasing. But no essayist can lay down rules 

 for everybody in every locality ; the people of each region 

 must act in these matters according to their circumstances. 

 In Essex County there are many places where we could grow 

 trees and the wood would find a market at home ; but in 

 Worcester County it may be that there is no such market 

 for wood as fuel. With reference to cemeteries, there are 

 practical reasons, as the sextons will tell you, why it is not 

 desirable to have the roots of trees running through the 

 ground, but it is proper to have them planted in groups 

 and around the borders. 



Question. I would like to inquire how much colder our 

 winters are now than they were a hundred years ago ? 



Mr. Robinson. It is impossible to say. It is probable 

 that the average is about the same ; the frost does not pene- 

 trate so deeply in the forests as in the open country, and the 

 removal of the forests. has probably had a tendency to make 

 the spring later in coming, and the sun of summer pouring 

 down with greater heat upon the ground, it continues longer 

 into the fall. The radiation is greater from the bare land 

 than from the woods, and the temperature of the woods, on 

 the average, is more nearly equable than in the open country. 

 Experiments have not been carried on long enough, even 

 in Europe, to determine the question. 



The Chairman. It would be pleasant and instructive to 

 continue this discussion, but time forbids and we must pro- 

 ceed with the programme. I am happy to introduce to you 

 Prof. Fernald, of the Agricultural College, who will deliver 

 a lecture on the subject of injurious insects. 



