SECOND DAYS SESSION. 



written to Senator Hill for documents on for- 

 estry, published by the Department of Agri- 

 culture, and the Senator had secured a quan- 

 tity of these documents which he would fur- 

 nish to members who would call on him at 

 his office, in the Cheesman block. 



A communication from a German Forester 

 was referred to the Secretary for incorpora- 

 tion in the minutes as he saw fit. 



Mr. Pardee moved that when the Associa- 

 tion adjourn, it be to meet in Denver on the 

 second Tuesday in January, 1885. 



The motion was adopted and Messrs. Par- 

 dee and Davis of the Board of Managers 

 were instructed to make such arrangements 

 for the meeting as were necessary. 



COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS. 



Mr. Merrick introduced a resolution re- 

 quiring the Secretary to prepare instruc- 

 tions for the guidance of persons organizing 

 Forestry Associations in the various counties 

 in order to secure uniformity in these orga- 

 nizations. The resolution was adopted. 



Mr. Parsons introduced a resolution which 

 was adopted, requiring the Vice Presidents 

 appointed in each county to circulate peti- 

 tio'ns urging the Legislature to pass the for- 

 estry bill drafted by the State Association. 



On motion of Mr. Meeker, a vote of thanks 

 was tendered to Secretary of State Edwards 

 and Superior Court Clerk Miller for the use 

 of the court room for the sessions of the As- 

 sociation. 



The body then adjourned until next Jan- 

 uary. 



PAPERS READ BEFORE THE SOCIETY. 



CONCERNING TREE PLANTING. 



[By Geo. H. Parsons, of Colorado Springs.] 

 The science of forestry is divided into two 

 branches forest preservation and tree cul- 

 ture. Of these divisions the former is with- 

 out doubt the most important, and of vital 

 importance to the people of Colorado. The 

 most generous planting of tress will never 

 compensate for the hundredth part of the 

 forest that is now being destroyed by acci- 

 dent or for commercial purposes. At the 

 same time forest preservation is a most com- 

 plex problem, difiicult of solution, and has 

 practically baffled all efforts heretofore made 

 to carry it to a successful issue. At the Ameri- 

 can Forestry Congress, held last September at 

 Saratoga, it might well have been expected 

 that some practical method for preserving 

 the forests would be suggested. But there 

 was not. In fact, very little of value was 

 contributed to human knowledge on this 

 subject. Tolerably familiar facts were well 

 emphasized, but no remedy suggested. There 



may be no remedy. The United States Gov- 

 ernment may not be able or willing to take 

 any action, and the State Governments may 

 be too ignorant or indifferent. The people 

 themselves may lack sufficient intelligence 

 or be unwilling to stir themselves in matl srs 

 which do not directly affect their po cts 

 and comforts. But I am more hopeful. 



WHAT*CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED. 



The people can be educated to see the 

 necessity of decisive action, and can force 

 their Legislatures to frame suitable laws and 

 garry them out faithfully. The States can so 

 unite as to compel the central Government to 

 adopt energetic measures for the preservation 

 of their forests. All this will require much 

 work and many years, but it must be always 

 remembered as the main object of this Asso- 

 ciation, whose efforts should be continually 

 exerted to this end, until the plains are 

 dotted with groves and the mountains covered 

 with forests. 



Until this great problem of forestry is 

 solved, the only means of making good our 

 losses to any degree is by tree-culture. 

 This is a subject plain, straightforward 

 and simple, easily understood and practiced 

 by all. It has attracted much attention in 

 all the States, but less in Colorado than any 

 other, although its need is perhaps greater 

 on our plains and mountains than anywhere 

 else. Trees are needed here to check the 

 rapid evaporation from the ground, and to 

 protect it from the dry scorching effect of the 

 sun at this altitude; to increase the humidity 

 of the atmosphere; to break the force of the 

 heavy destructive winds that sweep over the 

 plains, and to keep up the flow of our 

 streams in the dry season. Our climate 

 would be warmer in the winter and cooler in 

 summer, and crops more easily raised, if 

 the plains were well supplied with trees. 

 I believe nothing can be now done which 

 will benefit Colorado more than tree culture; 

 and, in the furtherance of this good cause, 

 each land owner can do his part, and has his 

 duty to perform. I say duty, because that is 

 the highest prompter of any action; to forget, 

 and even sacrifice, our own interests, that 

 our children, and our children's children, 

 may be benefited. Government, as the trus- 

 tee of future proprietors, is bound to take all 

 action, which may be necessary, to. secure 

 them their rights, among which is the enjoy- 

 ment of their inheritance, with its product- 

 iveness wholly unimpaired. But the people 

 are primarily the Government of this coun- 

 try, and it is their duty it is the duty of 

 each individual, io the highest sense to so 

 employ his stewardship, that future genera- 

 tions may bless, not curse him. 



Besides this duty that rests heavily upon 

 each landholder, there are also the more self- 



