8 THE FORESTER. January, 



otherwise of the title of the lands to the States; commended the action of the National 

 Government, especially the Secretaries of the Interior and of 'Agriculture, for their in- 

 vestigations of forest problems, and the National Irrigation Congress and the National 

 irrigation Association, and local associations, such as the Forest and Water Society of 

 southern California, for their efforts to awaken and unify public sentiment. Special 

 stress must be laid on further resolutions advocating the consolidation and unification 

 of the national forest work; urging upon the resident the reservation of all public tim- 

 ber lands pending full examination of their character ; and endorsing the request of 

 Hon. R. J. Waters to secure the passage of a law making every one responsible for 

 damage done by fires made or used by him on all reserved lands. 



A special meeting of the American Forestry Association was held at Columbus, 

 Ohio, on August 22d and 23d, under the auspices of the Columbus Horticultural So- 

 ciety. The enthusiasm shown at this meeting counted for far more than a larger num- 

 ber of less interested members might have done. Much profit was derived from the 

 discussion based on twenty questions which had been printed on the programme. The 

 resolutions presented and passed relative to the collection of international forest sta- 

 tistics merit express emphasis, representing as they do an imminent requirement. They 

 read as follows : 



"WHEREAS, The American Forestry Association, at its meeting at Boston in 1898, 

 took action looking to the collection of international forest statistics; and 



" WHEREAS, The Exposition of Nineteen Hundred in Paris offers a most favorable 

 opportunity for an International Congress of Foresters to consider and act upon this 

 and other matters of great common interest; 



" Therefore, be it Resolved, That the American Forestry Association respectfully 

 petitions the Commission Internationale des Congres Agricoles, through its President, 

 Monsieur Meline, to call such a Congress at Paris during the International Exposition ; 

 and 



" Resolved, That the Board of Directors is hereby empowered both to communicate 

 these resolutions to Monsieur Meline and to take such further action as may be re- 

 quired." 



Copies of these resolutions have accordingly been communicated to M. Meline, 

 through whose instrumentality the desired Congress will undoubtedly convene. Very 

 valuable results are to be anticipated from its discussions and action. 



The following papers were read at the special meeting : " Observations upon Wood- 

 lands of Ohio," by Mr. John F. Cunningham; "Natural Regeneration of Forests in 

 Old Fields in Eastern Kentucky," by Professor S. E. Mason, of Kentucky; "Lum- 

 bering in Northern Michigan," by Dr. W. J. Beal, of Michigan; "The Rate of 

 Growth and Temperature of Various Varieties of Forest Trees," by Professor W. R. 

 Lazenby, of Ohio; and a "Capitalistic Review of Conservative Lumbering," by Dr. 

 C. A. Schenck, of Biltmore. 



The Division of Forestry, a part of whose practical work in cooperating with pri- 

 vate owners has been alluded to ah-eady, has made another novel beginning for the en- 

 couragement of practical effort. It has undertaken cooperation with tree planters, 

 involving inspection of growing plantations and of proposed plantation sites, and the 

 giving of advice and assistance in the selection, planting and subsequent care of 

 economic species. Professor J. W. Tourney, lately appointed Superintendent of Tree 

 Planting, and Mr. Hall, his assistant, are already fully engaged with all the work to 

 which they can attend. Enlargement of the field corps of the Division is becoming 

 absolutely essential to the successful prosecution of these designs. The establishment 

 f the position of Student- Assistant to the Division has been one of the recent changes. 

 The number of applications has far exceeded the positions available. During the past 

 Summer student-assistants to the number of 28 were at work in the field. They 

 were divided into three groups, under expert supervision, one in Washington and 



