92 



The cultivation of forest trees has not until recently been 

 looked upon as a necessity, in this country, although it has 

 long been of the utmost importance in Europe. The vast 

 demands upon our forests and the ruthless waste of timber 

 producing trees, added to the fearful losses by forest fires, 

 and the premium offered for the destruction of the forests 

 of the United States, by the tax imposed upon Canadian 

 lumber, at last has forced upon us the immediate consider- 

 ation of this sul)ject. 



The greater question of national forests, however, is one 

 with which, as a local Agricultural Society, we are hardly 

 expected to deal, except, so far as it is our duty to educate 

 the public to be prepared for the enactment and enforce- 

 ment of laws for forest protection. In Massachusetts this 

 has already been begun by the passage of the statute 

 exempting from taxation such lands as may be re-forested, 

 and another statute by which greater penalties are inflicted 

 upon those who, througli carelessness, neglect, or with in- 

 tent, set forest fires. This danger renders the risk of an 

 investment in forest lands, which cannot be insured, so 

 hazardous as to largely discourage what otherwise would 

 be an important and profitable industry in this state, which 

 is so well fitted for producing many species of valuable 

 timber trees. Other duties, however, are before us, duties 

 which every local Agricultural Society has to perform, and 

 which this society has long ago recognized ; the encourage- 

 ment of small economic and ornamental plantations. 



In making a proper choice of trees for this work, some- 

 thing more is required than a mere fancy for the varieties 

 selected. It is necessary that we should know which 

 species will endure the longest and be of the greatest bene- 

 fit in years to come. If we fail here, disappointment results 

 to ourselves and an injury is done to others who follow us, 

 whereas had our work been rightly performed at the out- 

 set, lasting benefits would be reaped. The distribution of 

 trees on the surface of the earth is dependant upon the 



