290 BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. 



are of different ages, from twenty years' growth down to 

 very small trees, and a success in every instance. 



Mr. A. A. Smith, of Coleraine. As our time is somewhat 

 limited, I move that we dispense with the further discussion 

 of this subject and ask our Secretary to speak upon the 

 breeding of the horse. 



Capt. Moore. I trust that will not be done until this dis- 

 cussion has gone further. I think this is a very important 

 matter. I hope the gentleman will withdraw that motion. 



Mr. Russell. This matter has been brought before the 

 meeting at the motion of the State Board, and the Board re- 

 quested Mr. Sargent to prepare this paper. There is no 

 more important topic before the people of Massachusetts 

 than this matter of forestry. It is important to the people 

 of the whole country, and we in Massachusetts, in such mat- 

 ters as this, ought to take the lead. As Mr. Moore has said, 

 I trust that it will not be dismissed without a very full dis- 

 cussion, if it takes up to the very last moment. I will say 

 here, what I might say as a prelude to any horse talk, that 

 the least important matter which the farmers of Massachu- 

 setts have to deal with is breeding horses. 



Mr. Smith. I will withdraw the motion. 



Mr. Slade. I would make a suggestion. We have 

 heard considerable about losses by forest fires ; now, what 

 we want to get at is some method of preventing them. I 

 hope some one will suggest preventive measures, and if no 

 one else desires to speak, I will call on Mr. Moore. 



Mr. Moore. I do not know that I have any preventive 

 measures to suggest. I think that the paper which has been 

 read is important enough to be discussed in all its bearings, 

 because, if there are any errors in it, we want to have them 

 set right ; otherwise, if the matter goes before the legisla- 

 ture, a committee of the legislature who do not know as 

 much about this matter as the farmers here, or Professor 

 Sargent, might adopt some erroneous notions. I think one 

 thing suggested in that paper would be absurd. Professor 

 Sargent suggests that, in cutting ofi" the wood, the owner 

 should be obliged to collect the brush and burn it. Well, 

 what is the reason ? Because it becomes dry and burns like 

 tinder if fire gets into it. That is all true, if fire gets into 



