PAPERS READ BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION. 



13 



average rainfall was 22.63 inches. For the 

 five succeeding years, ending with 1882, th 

 average yearly rainfall was 22.63 inches 

 showing a loss per year of over four inches 

 In Utah the decrease is still more plain 

 During these same periods an average o: 

 22.63 has dropped to 14.85, showing a loss o 

 one-third. 



In Arizona the 13.85 average for the firsi 

 five years is lowered by two inches annually 

 for the five that follow. 



To what are these attributable at a time 

 when General Hazen, in his Signal Service 

 notes on variation of rainfall west of the 

 Mississippi Eiver, announces as one of the 

 conclusions arrived at during three years of 

 observation, that "the gradual increase in 

 rainfall during the years 1880, 1881 and 1882 

 is noticeable over a large extent of coun- 

 try." 



The question then comes back to us, What 

 shall we do to preserve our forests? Not 

 only to preserve what we already nave, but 

 to increase their area ? 



It may be of interest to know what action 

 foreign nations and some of the States of the 

 American Union have taken in the interest 

 of forestry, before presenting our own. The 

 forest codes of the Old World are extensive, 

 and various governments exercise almost 

 arbitrary control over private estates by 

 right of eminent domain. In some instances 

 they own immense bodies of land over which 

 theyj exercise the strictest surveillance. 

 Schools of Forestry abound in the German 

 empire, some of them over 100 years old, 

 where forestry is made a study equal to 

 agriculture under university organization. 

 Austria has its High Schools of Forestry, 

 maintained at State expense. Switzerland 

 supports a Forestry division in its Federal 

 Polytechnic School. France has a school of 

 Forestry at Nancy, established 'for the sole 

 purpose of preparing agents for the State 

 Forestry service. During the last fifty years 

 it has educated over a thousand persons for 

 this special work. Italy created a school of 

 Forestry by royal decree in 1869 upon the 

 plan adopted by France. Spain has its 

 special school of Forest Engineers under the 

 direction of the Ministers of Agriculture. 

 The General Institute of Agriculture of Por- 

 tugal embraces in its course Sylviculture and 

 Forest Engineering. Eussia has its Forestal 

 school, and Sweden its Forest Institute aided 

 by government under the management of 

 directors appointed by the King. Others 

 might be named, but these will answer to 

 show tiiat the protection of forest trees, not 

 alone for their supply of timber, but for the 

 climatic influence they exert, is world-wide 

 in its work. 

 Nearer home, in our sister Eepublic of 



Mexico we find that particular attention is at 

 present being paid to tree planting; not 

 alone by t^ie owners of estates, bjit by the 

 Government, which has lately entered into 

 contract with parties for the planting of 

 2,000,000 trees in the Valley of Mexico with- 

 in four years. These trees are to consist of 

 such varieties as ash, willows, poplar, euca- 

 lyptus, cedars and acacias, and are to be in 

 plantations of from 50,000 to 100,000 each. 

 These groves, in the years to come, cannot 

 fail to have a beneficial effect upon the cli- 

 mate of Mexico. 



Concerning State laws upon the subject, I 

 have grouped together, very briefly, some of 

 the laws upon the statute books, as follows: 



California A penalty of not more than 

 $1 ,000, or a term of imprisonment not more 

 than one year is imposed for willfully setting 

 fire to any wooded country or forest belong- 

 ing to the State or the United States, or to 

 any place where fire would communicate to 

 such forests. 



Dakota Parties planting trees along pub- 

 lic highways may occupy and use one rod^ in 

 width of such highways for the purpose" of 

 cultivating the growth of timber and trees 

 thereon. 



Illinois Counties are allowed to offer as 

 bounty to persons planting forest trees and 

 car> ying for them three years, any sum not 

 exceeding $10 per annum for three years for 

 each acre so planted. 



Iowa Exempts from taxation the real and 

 personal property of each taxpayer who 

 plants and cares for one or more acres of 

 forest trees, the sum of $100 per acre for ten 

 yews. 



Kansas In 1868 had a law giving a boun- 

 ty of $2 per acre for planting any kind of 

 forest trees except black locust, to continue 

 for twenty-five years. This was amended in 

 1872 requiring at least 160 trees to the acre. 

 Two years later this act was repealed, and 

 one enacted providing penalties for kindling 

 ires upon lands not owned and occupied, 

 leaving the pame unextinguished. 



Maine Exempts from taxation for twenty 

 years lands from which the primitive forests 

 have been removed, that are reset to trees. 



Minnesota An annual bounty of $2 per 

 Acre and a like annual bounty for every half 

 mile of trees along the public highway, to be 

 paid out of tie State treasury. 



Missouri A. similar law exists, except that 

 he bounty is paid by the county in which 

 he trees are planted. 



Nebraska An exemption of $100 per year 

 or five years on each acre planted and a 

 urther provision that the increased value of 

 ands by reason of live fences, fruit and for- 

 $st trees gr'wn thereon shall not be taken 

 nto account in the assessment thereof. 



