ON TIMBER TREES 



in its development are quite different from those 

 in the development of annual plants. Yet some- 

 thing of the probable results of an experiment can 

 be judged even from observation of seedlings in 

 their first year. And by hurrying the hybrid plants 

 by the method of grafting, it will be possible 

 greatly to shorten the generation. 



Still it is not to be denied that the work of 

 developing new races of trees is one that should 

 preferably command the attention of the younger 

 generation. In particular, it should be carried on 

 under government supervision, as part of the great 

 work of re-forestration, the necessity for which 

 has only in recent years been clearly realized by 

 those in authority or by the community in general. 

 MESSAGES FROM THE PAST 



The oft-cited hybrid walnuts supply us with 

 tangible evidence of the possibility of developing 

 new races of trees having much-to-be-desired 

 qualities of rapid growth, through hybridization 

 of the existing species. 



Such evidence, as I have suggested, doubtless 

 is more forceful and convincing than any amount 

 of theoretical argument. But it may be of interest 

 to support this evidence, and in so doing to reveal 

 additional reasons for belief that the same princi- 

 ples will apply to other forest trees, by recalling 

 briefly the story of the vicissitudes through which 



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