20 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



estiy Association, which is more familiarly known in the 

 eastern part of the State because of the services it has ren- 

 dered in connection with the gypsy moth work and in other 

 ways, to bring this matter before you. Laws have been passed 

 that provide that tree wardens shall be elected in every town 

 at the annual meeting. We want you to see that the right 

 kind of men are elected to that office. They are to pro- 

 tect especially the shade trees. I am very much interested 

 in this work, myself. I have looked after it for many years. 

 We ought to co-operate with this association. I think it 

 would be a benefit to us to do so. 



Mr. Lyman then read the following : The Massachusetts 

 Forestry Association is an institution for our benefit in pro- 

 moting and protecting our interests in that which is consid- 

 ered so valuable and beautiful in adorning the highways of 

 the whole State. And especially to-day we wdsh to interest 

 many in western Massachusetts, who hardly realize how near 

 we have come, and may yet, to having our ornamental shade 

 trees destroyed. 



Mr. J. G. Avery (of Spencer). As I understand it, these 

 laws are for the protection of shade trees by the roadside. 

 We had a very fine oak tree by the watering trough, and the 

 man who owned it cut it. In hot days people used to rest 

 their horses under the tree. I understand that the preven- 

 tion of the destruction of trees like that is what is to be 

 looked after. 



Mr. M. A. Morse (of Belchertown). I would like to say 

 that, as I understand it, the Forestry Association has nothing 

 to do with woodlands. You have a right to cut your wood- 

 lands, outside of the limits of the highway ; but you have 

 not, under the new law, a right to cut shade trees within the 

 limits of the highway, without getting permission of the tree 

 warden, if tagged. 



Mr. Lyman. Where the woodland comes down to the 

 highway, the trees within the limits of the highway are 

 under the protection of the tree warden, and can be tagged 

 or nailed. 



Mr. Smith (of West Springfield). It seems to me that 

 the vital matter has not been touched. If a tree is tagged. 



