EDITORIAL 687 



ATTENTION is called to the to accomplish it is not beyond the 



A article on another page about bounds of possibility that many who 



the new roadside tree law in are now alive will live to see every 



Maryland, a law which should ma j n road and every road cross country 



be adopted by every other state in the jj nec ] w j t h tine trees which are either 



Union. Nothing adds to the beauty of thc prO perty of state, county or munic- 



our roads as much as fine shade trees , jt Already the women of the 



and as there are hundreds of thousands arg interested in a ject to 

 of roads along which there are few if 



any trees and where trees could readily P lant trees alon S the P ro P osed Lincoln 

 be" grown, the opportunities for the Highway from ocean to ocean, and if 

 adoption and enforcement of a road the women remain interested the suc- 

 tree law in other states, should not be cess of the movement is practically as- 

 overlooked. While it would take years sured. 



A A BAM A needs a state forestry ment, and in fact why every state 



department, and if the efforts should have one, that it will not be 



of John H. Wallace, Jr., the difficult to show the people how they 



State Game and Fish Com- and the state will benefit. With the 



missioner, and the American For- management of the state timber lands 



estry Association are successful, one under the control of an efficient state 



will be created. Mr. Wallace will forester and with a forestry depart- 



embody in his annual report to the ment which will teach the owners of 



Governor and the Legislature, which is timberlands, wood lots, and single trees 



now being prepared, an earnest recom- how to take the best care of them ; 



mendation for the passage of a bill how to derive the best financial returns 



providing for a forestry department, from timberlands ; how to make wood- 



the appointment of a state forester and lots useful and remunerative and how 



a liberal appropriation for the work to to grow shade trees and foster them ; 



be done. The American Forestry As- the citizens of the state will derive 



sociation has furnished the draft of a practical benefits from the department 



bill suited to Alabama's needs to Mr. which will make them sorry they were 



Wallace, and this will be included in not wide awake enough to create such 



the report. a department many years ago. 



These, of course, are but the prelim- Commissioner V\ r allace has recom- 



inary steps. Before the bill can pass mended forestry bills in previous re- 



the people of the state must be told ports, but nothing has come of the rec- 



why the state needs a forestry depart- ommendations. \<>\v, however, when 



ment and how it will directly or indi- the state legislature meets in January 



rectly benefit every resident ; and the it is expected there will be such an in- 



members of the legislature must be sistent demand for a forestry law that 



convinced that there is immediate need the members of the law creating body 



of the bill being passed. cannot possibly ignore it. 



It is in this w r ork that the American In Virginia last spring, following a 



Forestry Association can best partici- campaign of education conducted by 



pate. The success of any forestry bill the American Forestry Association a 



depends upon educating the citizens and forestry bill passed the Senate unani- 



the legislators, and there are so many mously and the House by a vote of 86 



and convincing arguments why Ala- to 3, and if this can be done in Vir- 



bama should have a forestry depart- ginia it can also be done in Alabama. 



