PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 37 





 New and better trees, and such as mature quickly, will never be planted 



here by natural methods. 



Manufacturers will cry in vain for lumber unless some special and 

 speedy methods are adopted to provide an ample supply. 



Railways, ere long, will transport from long distances millions of cross 

 ties unless the trees are planted here to produce these ties at home. 



Farmers will never get rich in selling cordwood cut from the inferior 

 growths which now occupy their waste lands. 



Your shoe manufacturers, while primarily using leather may yet have to 

 adopt cowhide packages in which to transport the enormous output of New 

 England shoes, unless the pine can be induced to grow more rapidly or some 

 other tree take its place. 



There is a practical way for your society to bring about actual results, 

 which is to procure seeds and plants for distribution, and to use the influence 

 of the press and of individuals to induce the law-making powers to render such 

 material assistance as will make this work possible. 



One farmer cannot change New England forest conditions. It must be ac- 

 complished by a combined and systematic effort upon the part of all citizens, 

 supported by the authority of the state. 



Whatever may be expended wisely in this direction will return to the 

 commonwealth in added wealth for taxation, raw materials for manufactur- 

 ers and continuous employment for labor. 



Fifty thousand dollars expended in collecting and distributing nuts, seeds 

 and small forest trees would go far toward the reforestation of thousands of 

 acres which are now almost a valueless waste, laying the substantial founda- 

 tion for a greatly increased income in taxation as these lands become quad- 

 rupled in value. 



One great nursery in the West offers white pine trees 10 to 12 inches 

 high at eight dollars per thousand. 



Other nurseries will supply Catalpa speciosa at about the same price. 



Walnuts may be bought, if spoken for early in the season, at a dollar per 

 barrel. 



All these trees are known to succeed in your state. 



Where 4,200 square miles of your state, 52 per cent of its area, is in wood- 

 land, it is of grave importance what the character of this woodland growth may 

 be and whether it is worth for taxation two dollars per acre or one hun- 

 dred. It lies with you, gentlemen, to determine which it shall be, for the law- 

 making powers are looking to you for advice and your recommendation will 

 decide the future character and value of Massachusetts forests. 



Within a mile of the Worcester Horticultural Hall, where the meeting 

 was held, are many fine black walnut trees, one of sufficient importance to 

 be noticed in "Transactions of Worcester County Horticultural Society, 1892," 



I measured one at Mr. Hadwen's place, 20 years from seed, 15 inches 

 diameter four feet from ground. 



There are also many catalpa trees in Elm Park and elsewhere, 20 years' 

 prowth ranging 17 to 23 inches diameter. One at the home of A. J. Marble, 

 36 Birch street, 20 years' growth, is 23 inches diameter three feet from ground. 



