210 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY, ROADS AND 

 ROADSIDE IMPROVEMENTS. 



[Read and accepted at the Annual Meeting, Jan. 10, 1V)05.] 



The committee on forestry, roads and roadside improve- 

 ments respectfully submits the following. 



The State has progressed upon all these lines during the 

 past year. Indeed, a State with the wealth of JNIassachu- 

 setts, her density of population and the independence of 

 thought that exists within her borders, must inevitably ad- 

 vance in all useful, beautifying and aesthetic lines of progress. 



The needs, and now the demands, of our business men 

 for more intelligent forestry throughout New England have 

 ad^'anced in our State during the past year, by the enact- 

 ment by the Legislature of 1904 of a law creating the office 

 of State Forester. Mr. Alfred Akerman, a man trained on 

 forestry lines, an expert, has been appointed to that office. 

 His services are at the disposal of our citizens, under rules 

 as to the payment of expenses, and so far as he finds that his 

 time for such help can be so employed. He will also advise 

 at our Agricultural College by lectures. 



The term forestry must not be confused with that of orna- 

 mental and protective tree planting. There are, however, 

 dangers that come to trees in general, under which all tree 

 culture and tree care can be considered together. 



In a previous report a suggestion was advanced of the 

 possible value of collections of lantern slides, owned by this 

 Board, for use under loan, and with lectures prepared by 

 those who had given the subjects thus pictured especial 

 thought and study. The suggestion was original, so far as 

 this committee knew. During the past year the Office of 

 Experiment Stations at Washington, under authorization, 



