64 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 



read, and write about these subjects until there is a tree-feeling in 

 the air and a reverberation of sensible and practical teaching on 

 the subject which will compel general attention. You are to be 

 congratulated on the establishment last year of the new journal 

 devoted to these and kindred topics and edited here in your own 

 city. If some rich man would place "Garden and Forest" in 

 every public library and reading-room in America he would do 

 more good than if he should found a new university. 



As Massachusetts usually leads in every essential advance in 

 civilization, she ought to lead in the work of providing for the 

 defence of the forests on the nation's lands, especially in the 

 mountain forest regions of the Pacific and Central States. This 

 valuable national property is in imminent danger of speedy 

 extinction. 



Discussion. 



In the discussion which followed the reading of Mr. Harrison's 

 paper, he was asked what is the best practical method of manag- 

 ing forest land, and replied that the two great things are protec- 

 tion against fire and against pasturage. In tracts bearing trees 

 of considerable size care should be exercised in cutting out trees 

 as soon as they come to maturity ; after that time every tree 

 deteriorates. We have much to learn in the way of judicious and 

 intelligent letting alone. Some do not like to do this, but woods 

 resent interference. There is a delicate adjustment of all the 

 conditions which have brought trees to their present growth, and 

 many people want to interfere with these conditions. Trees 

 might as well be girdled as to have animals pastured among them. 

 The underbrush should be allowed to grow. When trees must be 

 pruned, the wounds should be covered to protect them from the 

 weather ; otherwise decay will begin and increase until it extends 

 to the whole tree. The speaker saw a very large tree in Salem, 

 N. J., from which large limbs had been pruned, and fungous 

 growths were penetrating even to the green wood. 



When woods have been cut oflT and a second growth begins to 

 to sprout up, the weaker sprouts should be removed. It will 

 require an intelligent man to do this properly, but it will pay. 



Benjamin P. Ware said that the essayist had emphasized the 

 importance of keeping cattle out of woodlands, but there is no 

 grass to tempt them there. 



