1899. AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 275 



word about an organization of which I am an officer, and in whose work I am deeply 

 interested, has for its chief objects to bring about a wise and more conservative treat- 

 ment of the forest resources of this continent, to diffuse information concerning the con- 

 servative management and the renewal of forests, and to encourage the intelligent plant- 

 ing of trees. It is therefore broad enough in scope rightly to be called American, and 

 its purposes may be justly said to be patriotic, in the true sense of that strong word. 



In addition to the general interest of the farmer in forestry, and even more vital to 

 his welfare, is the condition of the plantations or the woodlot on his own farm. For- 

 estry is a subject not to be mastered in a day, and yet the woodlot and the plantation 

 should have all the assistance that common sense and training together can give. Such 

 assistance the Department of Agriculture offers to the farmer for the asking. 



JAMES WILSON. 



The Practical in Forestry. 



A Paper on the Blending of Ideas regarding Lumbering, Forest Conservation 



and Reforestation. 



FROM THE LUMBERMAN'S STANDPOINT. 



There is an ancient platitude which is dent of the theoretical conditions of the 



often heard, that " There are two sides to forest movement. 



every question, the right and the wrong;" I would not have it understood for a 

 but in the question and the study of forestry single moment that I am not heartily in 

 there are four, viz : the right, the wrong, favor of the preservation of our forests and 

 the theoretical and the practical. Per- the conservation of our waters, but the 

 chance the four may mingle one into the function of this paper is to dwell on the 

 other three, or the three into the one, but practical avenue of the consideration : to 

 it is my intention to expound the practical view forest preservation from the stand- 

 factor in the great, important, and far- point of the operating lumbermen of the 

 reaching study of forestry in the United Pacific Coast and of California in particu- 

 States, or, more precisely, on the Pacific lar. 

 Coast. Certainly the numbers and the status of 



In the Oriental countries the picturesque, the manufacturers of Redwood lumber de- 



artistic style of the garments donned by serve and demand attention in the formu- 



the natives impresses the average traveler lation of the acts of this Association which 



as most pleasing to his vision. He wonders is so nobly championing the cause of forest 



at the grace, the ease of movement, the preservation all over the United States. It 



subtleness and the many evidently desirable is only right ; it is only just, for the stric- 



characteristics of the costumes worn ; and tares of a despotism alone would forbid 



so, departing from the country of his ob- and repress the arguments, -pro et con, on 



servations, he is impressed by the ensemble any subject under consideration. In truth 



but overlooks the other aspect of the con- it is to assist and further the efforts of all 



sideration. Through the vista of his of us who are so deeply interested in the 



romantic conceptions he forgets to study forest matters of moment, that I have com- 



the practical, and deeper evidences which piled this paper. 



affect the wearer of those habiliments of I believe it best to throw as much light 



the past. So it is likely to be with the stu- as my feeble pen will permit upon the 



