1899. AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 173 



Second Day's Sessions. 



Mr. Kinney called the convention to order at 10 o'clock Thursday morning. 

 Mr. Knight read letters of regret from United States Senator Perkins, Congressman 

 R. J. Waters, Congressman-elect J. C. Needham, Dr C. A. Schenck, of Biltmore, 

 N. C. ; W. N. Beyers, President Colorado State Forestry Association; Sir Joly 

 de Lotbiniere, Vice President of the Association for Canada; Mr. Elwood Cooper, 

 President State Board of Horticulture; Mayor Phelan, of San Francisco, and others. 



A paper by Mr. A. Campbell Johnson on "A Forest Experimental Station" 

 was read by Secretary Whittlesey. Mr. W. H. Hawgood read a valuable paper on 

 "Some Relations between Forests, Percolation and Water Supply." Mr. S. M. 

 Woodbridge, Vice President Chemical Agricultural Works, presented an interesting 

 paper on "Water Conservation in Soils." Mr. Elwood Mead made a strong plea 

 for " Leasmg the Public Grazing Lands." Mr. W. W. Everett presented the lum- 

 berman's side of the question in a paper on "The Practical in Forestry." Mr. O. S. 

 Breese discussed "The Relations of Mining to Forestry." 



A recess was then taken until 2.30 p. m. 



At the afternoon session papers were read as follows: 



" The Reclamation of Drifting Sand Dunes in Golden Gate Park," by Mr. John 

 McLaren, Superintendent of the Park, (read by Secretary Whittlesey). "Sequoia 

 of the Sierras and their Distribution," by Prof. W. R. Dudley, of Stanford Univer- 

 sity. ' ' The Influence of Forests upon Storage Reservoirs, " by Mr. James D. Schuyler. 

 "A California School of Forestry," by Rev. George W. White, President University 

 of Southern California (read by Professor Stabler) . " Forestry in North Dakota," 

 by Mr. W. W. Barrett, State Superintendent of Forestry in North Dakota (read by 

 Secretary Whittlesey). 



Mr. F. H. Olmsted, City Engineer of Los Angeles, then addressed the meeting 

 on the subject of "Forest Preservation and the Watershed of the Los Angeles 

 River," illustrating his remarks by a large map of the watershed. He expressed 

 gratification that the Forestry Convention was being held in Los Angeles, and said 

 that its work was appreciated. "I feel," he said, "that we need such an object 

 lesson. It is not always easy to see why the Government is not more careful of our 

 interests. But the growth of the city has been such that our hands are full, and so 

 it is not strange, perhaps, that we are lax in looking after our watershed. Yet no 

 interest could be more vital. One of the teachers attending the National Educa- 

 tional Association Convention laughed at the Los Angeles 'River.' But we can 

 forgive her. With my experience of several years I have yet to see, in many 

 respects, a more remarkable stream. Its limited watershed, the limited rainfall, 

 and dry seasons cannot prevent it from furnishing a steady supply of water. I 

 regard it as a wonderful stream. Most of the slopes of the watershed are covered 

 with brush we can hardly say timber. But I observe that these slopes are as well 

 protected as though covered by coniferous growth. The formation of the basin 

 favors the growth of brush." 



Mr. Olmsted then described the geological formation of the mountains sur- 

 rounding the San Fernando Valley, which he called an awful picture of desolation 

 and drought "But it is really a great filter," he said, "through which the water 

 is percolating to the river." Mr. Olmsted thought the difficulty with the Govern- 

 ment rangers is that they do not live in the mountains, but merely make trips into 

 them. In the whole basin there are three men who have ranches, and they have a 

 personal interest in putting out fires. " In time we shall have municipal guards to 

 watch this basin," he concluded; "we cannot afford to take any chances of having 

 our water supply diminished." 



