6 THE FORESTER. April, 



seldom any of them been able to test their a society containing the best-trained fores- 

 practical suggestions and conclusions by ters in the country can most easily im- 

 practice, and who have often not even had prove. The Society has been holding 

 the advantage of being able to exchange weekly meetings for the reading and dis- 

 ideas with people who were interested in cussion of papers during the last couple 

 the same subjects. To a certain degree, of months, and at the end of the year the 

 this worked well; the result has been that best of these will doubtless be published, 

 the spirit in which American forest ques- Its short experience has already made it 

 tions have been approached by the serious clear that lack of interest need not be 

 of purpose has been eminently practical. feared from the members, and such being 

 But, on the other hand, this state of things the case, its proceedings are bound in time 

 has been faulty in ways which have grown to key up the tone of forest discussions 

 more and more apparent. There has been and writings, and to do good in many 

 an almost total lack of professional feeling ways. Now that we have forest schools 

 and of all which that means. The con- and a large amount of practical work 

 fusion in the forester's technical dialect, under way in this country, it is high time 

 which was referred to in the February that there were an organization which ex- 

 Forestku, is a good example of the re- isted not for agitation, but for the ends to 

 suit of this, and is the sort of thing which which this society is devoted. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 

 Dying Oaks in Southern Wisconsin. 



To the Editor of the Forester : I the very best state of the ground in this 



think that Mr. James Jensen is entirely vicinity. In 18965 a road was built up the 



right in his diagnosis of the trouble about bluff, immediately adjoining the grove, in 



oaks in the neighborhood of Geneva Lake. such a way that the latter was left standing 



I had some time ago come to a similar on a promonotory about fifteen rods in 



conclusion, although I had not thought of width, with steep, naked clay banks on 



referring the change in the moisture rela- three sides of it. These banks are about 



tions to the series of dry seasons. The forty feet high. From that time the trees 



trouble is widespread throughout southern began to suffer, and at least one-third of 



Wisconsin. On the railway line between them are now dead or nearly so. I can 



Milwaukee and Madison, for instance, hardly doubt that this is due to the rapid 



dead oak trees are a conspicuous feature drying out of this clay promontory, to 



ot most woodlands. Here is an example which sun and wind has now such free 



ot how apparently slight changes in mois- access. 



ture conditions may affect the growth of a The building of roads is by no means an 



body ot trees. There is a grove of oaks uncommon source of danger to forest 



about fifty years old on the edge of the trees. Especially in the case of hemlock, 



steep clay bluffs in the Menomonnee val- in this state, the death of all trees for a rod 



ley, west of this city. Until five years or more on either side follows it almost 



ago it was in very thrifty condition, with invariably. 



the forest floor well shaded and covered -^ Tl 



...;,i, _. , 1 .,,1 , , j 1 1 Ernest Bruncken. 



with some shrubby underwood and dense 



tangles of -olden rod and similar herbs Milwaukee, Wis., Mar. 28. 



