204 NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 



further south. Early and late frosts do not effect such plots so readily. It 

 is only a few feet on their northern sides which is injured by the presence of 

 the trees and these few feet are generally needed for a common road along 

 the field. All large fields should be surrounded by such wind breaks 

 Further advantages are the following : These wind breaks, with care, can be 

 made to supply a portion of the fire wood for a household and to do this 

 perpetually. As we have come to the days of the wire fence the trees may 

 be used as indestructible fence posts without injury to the trees and this as a 

 practice would reduce the enormous tax on the farming community found in 

 the keeping up of the wooden fences of our farms. Corn, tomatoes and 

 apples can be successfully grown in many portions of the Province where the 

 farms are blanketted by tree belts, as witness the noted success with the pro- 

 tected orchard at the Experimental Farm at Nappan as compared with the 

 indifferent success of the exposed orchard. One experiment like this shows 

 that all crops could be better grown in such conditions of shelter. Had we 

 an asthetic population the added picturesqueness of our farming sections 

 wjuld be regarded as sufficient reward for any expense and trouble involved 

 in inaugurating such a practice. In the case of fields which are being cleared 

 it really means taking less trouble and being put to less expense in chopping 

 fences, etc. 



More should be made of Arbor Day in our schools, for the sake of doing 

 what the Forestry laws have begun, namely, to create a public conscience as 

 to the value of the tree. I should be in favor of an enactment which would 

 place a fine upon any body of school trustees in the shape of a reduction of 

 their Government grant who would not see that at least one tree was planted 

 on or near the school grounds on Arbor Day, and who should allow one 

 such tree to be injured by the scholars. Such legislation might seem severe 

 enough, but it would have a great awakening effect on scholars, teachers 

 and trustees. 



In Mount Allison University this subject is introduced in several classes 

 of the Arts Course, viz., Botany, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. 

 We have had special lectures on the subject, notably a course of lectures on 

 the methods of German Forestry, delivered by Mr. George Trueman, now of 

 Riverside Consolidated School. And I am free to say this, as we occupy a 

 central position in these Provinces, as soon as the means can be provided we 

 are ready to add to our department of Applied Science a section devoted to 

 Forestry, and if we can accomplish this through any public spirited men 

 interested in the subject we shall feel that we are doing something to serve 

 the best interests of our county. 



