74' 



TIlA>rSACXIO>-S 



much of what is denominated unimprovable lands, can be rendered 

 productive of wood and timber. 



The quantity of wood and timber, owing to the great demand, is 

 annually growing less and less in this State, and consequently tim- 

 ber and wood, and the lands producing th3m, becoming more and 

 more valuable. Hence, a reason for forest planting and culture. 

 There are many acres of unproductive lands of diiferent kinds in 

 "Western Massachusetts, that might, in this way, be made productive 

 and valuable^ In view of the facts that the demand for wood and 

 timber is annually increasing, and prices advancing, and, of there 

 being so much unproductive land in the State, it is proposed to 

 present considerations, which, if heeded, vv-ill convert the hundreds of 

 thousands of acres of unimproved and non-productive lands of the 

 State, into wood and timber producing lands, thus enabling the State 

 to produce within its ov»-n narrow bounds what is sought abroad at 

 high prices. By introducing this mode of improvement, the lands 

 are made better, and timber will, ere long, be furnished for house- 

 building, ship-building, fence-making, furniture, implements of the 

 various kinds, bark for tanning, and fuel for the fire. These may be 

 considered good and substantial reasons for doing what has been 

 done, and may, therefore, be done again under the direction and in- 

 iluence of knowledge, enterprise and enlightened Public Economy. 



The subject is one of such immense magnitude and interest, and 

 the space allowed for this Kcport so limited, that we can present only 

 a very few reasons for engaging in the economical enterprise of forest 

 planting. There are many who will object to this on the same 

 ground that others have done to planting fruit-trees, to wit, the fear 

 that they shall not live to enjoy the benefits of the improvement, thus 

 anticipated. How selfish and narrow-minded is such an objection. 

 Plan as if you were to live always, and live, as if you might die on 

 the morrow. Then will you prove yourself a benefactor of mankind, 

 and posterity will rise up and call you blessed. But your objection, 

 giving it all its force, is not well founded ; for the first Duke John of 

 Athol, Scotland, saw a British frigate built of Larch, of his own 

 planting. 



Athol situated in the north of Scotland, latitude 57° north, con- 

 tained the estates of the Dukes. Duke James planted, between 1740 

 and 1750, more than twelve hundred larch trees in various situations, 

 for the purpose of trying this species, then new in Scotland. In 

 1759, he planted seven hundred larchs over a surface of twenty-nine 



