good-sized white pine, with some Norway, and now and then 

 a white oak. The young trees which have grown from the 

 grubs are about equally divided between white and red oak ; 

 the red oak is by far the most rapid grower. 



"There are millions of acres of stump land in northern Michi- 

 gan just as favorable for tree culture as the little tract on 

 which my experiment is being successfully worked out. My 

 observation leads me to believe that generally the white pine 

 stump-lands are more favorable for the culture than Norway, 

 and that where there was considerable oak mixed with the 

 pine, is most favorable of any. 



"Jack pine plains are poorest of all, and it will require skill, 

 patience and time to grow on them any other timber. But 

 seed plentiful and fire kept out, they could soon be clothed 



with a vigorous growth of their native trees. The jack pine 

 is a rapid grower. The timber, while not very valuable, is by 

 no means worthless. Doubtless many new uses will be found 

 for it as other pines become scarce and higher in value. It 

 would be a grand achievement to cover all the jack pine plains 

 of Michigan with green trees and screen the sandy soil from 

 the burning rays of the sun. Forest fires, as we all know, 

 are the great obstacle in the way of forestry success on the 

 stump lands and plains of the State. These fires come from 

 railroads, hunters, fishermen, careless smokers, from persons 

 cleaning their own lands, and are sometimes deliberately set 

 by residents to burn off the old grass and improve the pastur- 

 age for their cattle. Strict laws with severe penalties will be 

 necessary to check the evil." 



17 



