TREE BOUNTIES. 103 



"We especially urge the importance of an enlightened policy for the care 

 and preservation of the forests against wanton destruction by fire and 

 otherwise. We indorse the policy of forest and storage reservations cover- 

 ing the mountain watersheds of the West. The importance of due care 

 and protection of these watersheds to maintain the perennial flow of 

 springs and streams, and to prevent floods and torrents, demands the 

 establishment of a wise forestry system. Pending the establishment of 

 such an organization, we favor the use of detachments of the United 

 States army to protect all the western mountain water sheds from injuries 

 detrimental to the highest use of the valley lands." 



TREE BOUNTIES. 



The tree bouhty law dates back to 1873. Since modified, it now specifies 

 the number of trees required per acre, limiting the bounty to $20,000 per 

 year at $2.50 per acre. According to the records, about 74,000 acres of 

 forest trees, exclusively under the operations of the law since its enact- 

 ment, have been successfully raised on the prairie regions of the state. 

 The aggregate for all the planting in the state during the last ten years 

 tallies all of 100,000 acres. During the last forty years of tree planting in 

 jNIinnesota, the number of trees, it is safe to say, is well nigh the billions, 

 and yet the beneficent work is but begun. 



The following letter from the state auditor gives a summary f the work 

 done during the fiscal year, ending July 31, 1894: 



St. Paul, August 16, 1894. 

 Hon. J. O. Barrett, Brown Valley, 



Dear Sir: Replying to yours of the 16th inst., will say, that the total 

 amount paid for tree planting for the year ending July 31, 1894, has been 

 $10,988.24. The bounty has been paid to 2,123 different persons, and the 

 area planted is 6,795 acres, each acre containing on an average 676 trees, 

 which makes a total of 4,593,420 trees. 



I also enclose the financial statement of the appropriation for forestry 

 as>sociation. Respectfully yours, 



A. Biermann, 



State Auditor. 



To be entitled to bounty, applicants must show that trees were originally 

 planted not more than eight feet apart each way, and were kept in a thrifty, 

 growing condition, and were maintained at a distance of not more than 



