18 



PAPERS READ BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION. 



In the subjoined newspaper scrap is 

 pointed out the possibility of income from 

 the forests. Not yet, perhaps, but still so 

 rapid is the forward sweep of settlement 

 not far off, in time, the waste of forests may 

 be made to yield a return equal to the cost 

 of caiing for the trees: 



"A naper prepared by a M. Mathieu, a 

 French chemist, who has made a success of 

 an apparatus devised by himself for the 

 distillation of wood, appeared to offer a 

 practical solution of the vexed question of 

 what to do with the debris of logging. The 

 device consists of a number of iron retorts 

 set in a brickwork frame in such a way that 

 they can conveniently and safely be filled 

 with wood, chips, sawdust, etc. The pro- 

 ducts obtained from a cord of hard wood are 

 reported to be on the average: 



62 bushels charcoal at 6c $ 3 72 



4*k gallon^ wood alcohol at 85c 3 82 



160 pounds acetate of lime at l^c 2 40 



10 gallons tar at 4c 40 



$10 34 



Deduct for labor, lime, use of material 

 and interest 3 00 



Balance $ 7 34 



From yellow pine the results are per cord : 



63 bush els charcoal at 6c $ 3 78 



12 gallons pine tar at 7c 84 



11 gallons turpentine at 35c 3 85 



1 gallon wood alcohol at 85c 85 



4o pounds acetate of lime at l^c ... , 60 



Deduct for labor, lime, etc. 



9 92 

 2 50 



Balance. 



...? 7 42 



"Norway pine yields 'ess turpentine than 

 yellow pine, and white pine more alcohol' 

 and less turpentine. The charcoal is valua- 

 ble for blast furnaces, rolling mills, gas, etc. 

 The volatile products are in demand in a 

 vast variety of arts and mechanical pro- 

 cesses, and new use for them is constantly 

 arising. Wood alcohol, e.g., is used in many 

 kinds of varnish or for any use for which 

 common alcohol is used, except for a bever- 

 age, and its unfitness for the latter purpose 

 exempts it from the excise tax. The acetate 

 of lime is used in making acetic acid for em- 

 ployment in white lead manufacture, in 

 print works, dyeing, tanning, paint, etc. 

 ^"M. Mathieu ha3 devised an apparatus for 

 use in logging camps, which would be port- 

 able. There are several large plants already 

 at work; one of fifty -six retorts at St. Ignace, 

 Michigan, in connection with the Martel fur- 

 nace; one of fifty-six retorts at Newberry, 

 Michigan, conn acted with the Vulcan Works; 

 another of twenty-four retorts is at Port 

 Leyden, in Northern New York, connected 

 with an iron company. There are others in 



Ontario, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania and 

 Alabama." 



SUGGESTED LEGISLATION 

 CONCERNING FORESTRY. 



BY W. W. PARDEE OF DENVER, COLORADO. 



Even in a country where the rainfall is 

 sufficient to produce abundant crops, the 

 protection of the forests is for the public 

 good; but in a country like Colorado, where 

 agriculture can only be carried on by means 

 of irrigation, the question of preserving the 

 natural forests and cultivating artificial ones, 

 is of paramount importance to the public, 

 because the mountain forests are the great 

 natural generators of moisture, which gives 

 birth to our mountain streams, and these 

 streams afford means of irrigation. 



Agriculture in Colorado has grown to its 

 present proportions only by means of irriga- 

 tion, and we seek to extend it; and yet, while 

 we seek to extend it, we are, by denuding 

 our mountains of their natural forests, grad- 

 ually but surely cutting off our water supply. 

 Either the wholesale destruction of our moun- 

 tain forests must be stopped, or agriculture in 

 Colorado will be stopped. The combined in- 

 dustries of Colorado are rapidly stripping our 

 mountains of our timber. If this course is 

 pursued for a generation, our forests will be 

 gone, our mining interests will be seriously 

 depleted, and our agricultural interests will 

 be cut off. Stock raising on our plains may 

 prosper to some extent, but the home market 

 for that industry will be largely lost. 



It is the work of this association to modify 

 the destruction of the forests, and to encour- 

 age their growth and preservation; to point 

 out ways and means whereby new and arti- 

 ficial forests may be created. 



The woodland of Colorado is owned in 

 part by the State, by private individuals and 

 corporations, but largely by the General Gov- 

 ernment. To accomplish the objects sought 

 by this association, we must secure legisla- 

 tion by the State and the Nat.'onal Govern- 

 ment. The State and National Government 

 should only allow the large and mature for- 

 est trees to be used, and should afford every 

 means to encourage the growth of the 

 smaller trees. Irrigating ditch companies 

 should be held to be common carriers of the 

 public water, and the State should stipulate 

 on what terms and conditions they should be 

 operated. 



Large reservoi s for storing irrigating 

 water should be constructed among the foot- 

 hills or on land sufficiently high for the pur- 

 pose of irrigating the farm land below. When 



