302;: j ,. : ... BOARD ' OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 





/9l. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY, ROADS AND 

 ROADSIDE IMPROVEMENTS. 



[Read and accepted at the Annual Meeting, Jan. 7, 1902.] 



Your committee has had no special task placed upon it 

 by yourselves nor by the Legislature ; and, as your first 

 vice-president is to address us during this meeting upon 

 "Massachusetts forestry," and is well informed as to its 

 condition throughout the State, it seems to be out of place 

 for us to report at any length upon this subject. 



As to roads, the matter of the State's interest has been 

 placed in the charge of the Highway Commission, which 

 has funds at its command for the purpose and has skilled 

 employees under its direction, so that it is unnecessary for 

 us to cope with a subject so much better placed. 



Forestry and arboriculture are receiving attention from 

 the several park boards of the State in varying degrees of 

 success, but greater than formerly ; and they seek infor- 

 mation from other sources that exist, and which have special 

 opportunities of acquiring knowledge upon those lines. 

 Schools of forestry, well established, are actively at work 

 in Yale University, Cornell, Biltmore, N. C., and elsewhere ; 

 and we have as noted an exhibit of growth and study of 

 trees at the Arnold Arboretum as probably exists. The 

 effect of the tree warden law has been promo tive of good, 

 and has greatly increased intelligent interest in trees. 



As to roadside improvements, the general interest has 

 increased of late years. Better roads and the extension of 

 street car service have encouraged travel among our people, 

 who are taking far greater interest in the condition of our 

 roadsides, and who are cultivating a decidedly healthy opin- 

 ion that reasonable protection of their natural beauty and 

 prevention of injury from local ignorance should receive 



