1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



305 



estry. There are at present* no ade- 

 quate laws against fire, but there is 

 now a bill before the General Assem- 

 bly for the purpose of creating a fire 

 service similar to that of New York, 

 but combining some of the good points 

 of other state laws and a few original 

 measures. 



The forestry movement in the state 

 was inaugurated some three years ago 

 under the direction of the Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. The station ap- 

 pointed a forester with the hope of in- 

 teresting the land owners of the state 

 in forestry work. As one of the first 

 steps toward this an experimental plan- 

 tation was started a few miles north 

 of Hartford on a sand plain. About 

 sixty acres of land valued at $6 an 

 acre have been planted to different 

 species, as shown by the accompanying 

 diagram. These plantations have been 

 as experiments in methods of planting, 

 distance of spacing, and value of dif- 

 ferent mixtures. A new series of ex- 

 periments is now being undertaken on 

 adjoining land of similar character to 

 ascertain how cheaply planting can be 

 done. 



_The station has recently published a 

 circular advertising its scheme of co- 

 operation with private owners which is 

 similar to that of the national Forest 

 Service, and of the State Forester of 

 Massachusetts. 



By act of legislature the Station 

 Forester was made State Forester ; the 

 principal duties connected with this 

 office being the creation and care of a 

 state forest. This law, which has thus 

 far carried an annual appropriation of 

 $1,000, provides that the forester may 

 buy land at a price not exceeding $4 an 

 acre. He may plant this land, or 

 make thinnings or take such other 

 measures as he may deem necessary to 

 bring about a profitable growth of the 

 timber thereon. Up to the present 

 time about one thousand acres of 

 sprout land have been purchased in the 

 towns of Portland and Chatham at an 

 average cost of $1.63 an acre. As an 

 appreciation of forestry gradually 

 grows in the state it is hoped that a 

 more generous appropriation may be 

 devoted to the work and greater pro- 

 gress made. 



* NOTE. Since foregoing article was written a fire law has been passed and text given in this number. 



THE CONNECTICUT FORESTRY ASSO- 

 CIATION 



Short History of the Organization that is Pro- 

 moting the Cause of Forestry in Connecticut 



BY 

 MARY WINSLOW 



"* HE Connecticut Forestry Associa- 

 tion was founded in December, 

 I &95, by the late Rev. Horace Wins- 

 low, and a few others, at the house of 

 the former in Weatogue, in the old 

 town of Simsbury. Mr. Winslow was 

 the first president and continued in 

 office until May, 1898, when on ac- 

 count of failing health, he declined a 

 re-election. 



Mr. Winslow was succeeded by Ma- 

 jor Edward V. Preston, of Hartford. 

 When Major Preston was compelled 

 by the pressure of important business 

 to lay aside the office, he \\;is followed 

 by Mr. Walter Mulfonl, then State 

 Forester for Connecticut, but n\v of 

 the Forrst Service of the U. S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture, who \v;is in 

 turn succeeded by Or. K. H. Jenkins 



