FOREST RESOURCES OF WISCONSIN". 529 



4. Whether any and what scientific experiments or investigations should be made to 

 ascertain the best methods of growing and managing forest-trees. 



5. Whether the growing of belts of timber along the public roads and highways 

 would afford protection to the same from drifts of snow, and whether these and similar 

 belts in the farms of the State would be beneficial by affording shelter to crops, fruit- 

 trees, buildings, and animals, and add to the health, comfort, and prosperity of the 

 people. . , • 



6. Whether any and what convenient substitute for wood may be found in this 

 State, and if by their use the demand for wood will be diminished. 



7. To report generally such facts, in a condensed form, as will be of the most practi- 

 cal use to persons desirous of increasing the growth and preservation of forest and 

 other trees. 



Their report was to be published in an edition of 3,000, and was 

 limited to 100 pages. 



The commissioners appointed were I. A. Lapham, J. G. Knapp, and 

 H. Crocker, and their report is an earnest appeal in favor of tree-plant- 

 ing, specifying the reasons that should lead to planting, the benefits to 

 be derived and the errors to be avoided, with a description of the trees, 

 the State, and the best methods for cultivation.^ 



At the next session of the legislature, laws were passed for the en- 

 couragement of tree-planting and for the protection of forest and shade 

 trees, as elsewhere given in this report. We are unable to present any 

 statistics of the exemptions or bounties paid under these acts, nor the 

 amount of planting that has been done. 



The absence of means for ascertaining the lumber production of the 

 State, upon which so many interests depend, was noticed by his Excellency 

 Governor Ludington, in his message in January, 1877, and a law was 

 recommended compelling persons cutting logs in the State, to report to 

 the lumber inspector of the several districts, so that a consolidated re- 

 port might be published. 



The State has received considerable grants of land from Congress for 

 schools, a university, and other public trusts, and employs timber agents 

 and clerks for the protection of its interests, as would appear from offi- 

 cial reports, with very indifferent success.* 



Lumbering characteristics of the principal rivers of Wisconsin.^ 



The Chippewa is a large river, with many tributaries coming from the 

 pine region, affording valuable water-power at Eau Claire, Chippewa 

 Falls, and other points, at which there are extensive lumbering estab- 

 lishments, but a large part of the lumber of this stream is rafted down 

 to steam-mills at various points on the Mississippi below. The lowest 

 boom on this river is near its mouth, and is owned by the Beef Slough 

 Manufacturing, Booming, Log-Driving and Transportation Company, 



^Report on the Disastrous Effects of the Destruction of Forest-Trees noiv going on so 

 rapidly in the Slate of Wisconsin. Madison, 1867. 



2 Governor Ludington, in his message of 1876, says : " It has become a serious matter 

 to provide against trespassers upon the school and university lauds, and the tracts 

 known as the Saint Croix grant. A system seems to have prevailed by which large 

 depredations were committed, and the State was left to secure redress by the collec- 

 tion of stumpage from trespassers. This system is wrong in principle and ruinous in 

 practice. In the nature of things the sums collected in the settlements with the tres- 

 passers must be vastly less than the value of the timber taken. If I am correctly ad- 

 vised, it has come to be regarded as a profitable business to strip the State lands of 

 their timber and then effect a settlement. Whatever power rests with the Governor 

 to reform this practice will be vigoroiisly exercised ; and if it shall appear that further 

 legislation is necessary to secure that result, I cannot urge too strongly upon you the 

 duty of providing it. The only true policy in dealing with this subject is to prevent 

 depredations, and iu this work I urgently solicit your co-operation. 



3 Condensed from the " Lumber Trade and Manufacture," 1874, published by the North- 

 western Lumberman, Chicago. 8vo, pp. 112. 



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