48 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



February, 



scientific forestry should be taught. 

 The wholesale cutting of timber on the 

 watershed had been continued so long 

 that it had begun to threaten the water 

 supply of the rivers having their sources 

 thereon. The first result of this ex- 

 travagant cutting of timber was an 

 amendment to the constitution provid- 

 ing for a forest preserve and to prevent 

 the cutting of timber within its bound- 

 aries. Following that came the estab- 

 lishment of the School of Forestry for 

 the purpose of reforesting lands that 

 had been laid waste by the lumbermen. 



It was in pursuance of this policy that 

 the legislature of 1898 enacted a law 

 to promote education in forestry, to en- 

 courage and provide for the establish- 

 ment of a College of Forestry at Cornell 

 Universit}^ and making an appropria- 

 tion of $ic,ooo for that purpose. 



Following the passage of the act a 

 tract comprising 30,000 acres was pur- 

 chased by the state in the vicinity of 

 Tupper lyake, at a cost of $165,000, and 

 turned over to the trustees of Cornell. 

 To the university were given title, pos- 

 session, and control of this land, to 

 conduct such experiments in forestry as 

 it might deem most advantageous to the 

 interests of the state and the advance- 

 ment of the science of forestry. 



To the school was given the authoritj^ 

 to plant, raise, cut, and sell timber at 

 such times, of such species and quanti- 

 ties, and in such manner as it might 

 deem best, with a view to obtaining 

 and imparting knowledge concerning 

 the scientific management and use of 

 forests, their regulation and adminis- 

 tration, the harvesting and reproduc- 

 tion of wood crops and earning a revenue 

 therefrom. 



At the close of the hearing it was 

 decided that both sides would be given 

 an opportunity to submit briefs. 



Ii*rig;ation in 

 Michigan. 



The reclamation of the 

 pine barrens of Michi- 

 gan by means of irriga- 

 tion has been attempted at various times 

 and successful results are announced by 

 Mr. Alexander C. Ka}^, of East Tawas. 

 He states that there are underlying 

 waters at depths of from 50 to 70 feet. 



excellent in character, and which can 

 be brought to the surface by pumping. 

 The soil can be improved by planting 

 in green material such as clover, cow- 

 peas, and similar nitrogenous matter. 

 These lands are cheap and can easily be 

 made productive by intelligent care by 

 enriching the soil and bj' providing a 

 suitable amount of water during the 

 period of drouth. 



Rio Grande Valley. Great interest has 



been aroused along 

 the Rio Grande Valley in Texas by the 

 proposed survey for the irrigation of 

 the valle3^ A bill has been introduced 

 in Congress by Mr. Klaberg for making 

 a comprehensive examination in coop- 

 eration with the New Mexico authori- 

 ties. 



J- 



New Hampshire. Keen interest in New 

 Hampshire forests was 

 shown at the first annual meeting of 

 the New Hampshire Society for the 

 Protection of Forests, held in Concord, 

 N. H., on January 21st. Representa- 

 tives were present from different parts of 

 the state. The treasurer. Gen. George 

 T. Cruft, was able to report a cash bal- 

 ance of nearly $1,500. The report of 

 the secretary, Mr. Joseph T. Walker, of 

 Concord, showed the beginning of an 

 educational campaign that must sooner 

 or later reach the legislature of the 

 state and result in the moderate pro- 

 gressive action desired. Mr. Philip W. 

 Ay res, of the New York State College 

 of Forestry, was elected forester. 



The program of the Society for the 

 coming year includes: 



1. A study of actual forest conditions 

 throughout the state. 



2. Cooperation with the State For- 

 estry Commission in its efforts to secure 

 conservative lumbering, and with the 

 State Board of Agriculture in encour- 

 aging intelligent sylviculture. 



3. Educational work in the public 

 .schools, women's clubs, the grange 

 societies of the state, and similar organ- 

 izations. 



The officers of the preceding year 

 were unanimously reelected. 



I 



