American Fisheries Socvety. 167 
forest, the bare lands should be restocked, and timber and water, 
fish and game should have their proper attention. 
Once a project of this kind is decided upon, the methods of 
doing are simple. But here again let me warn against half 
doing. If we go into it let us make sure that the tree we plant 
receives the protection without which all forest growth is im- 
possible. It is useless to plant forest and then burn it up. 
With every larger enterprise it pays to survey and map the 
land, maintain a home nursery and raise the needed plant stock, 
and in all cases have a man trained to the business. What to 
raise will depend on the land. On better lands the hard woods 
have the advantage of being useful early, of sprouting and thus 
Saving expenses in starting new growth. On our sandy lands, 
and also in handling the Northern swamps the conifers are the 
principal trees we must look for. 
The expense of starting a forest is usually much overrated. 
Five dollars per acre will do very well, and ten dollars is an 
ample outside allowance. 
On larger areas the protection of the lands should receive 
close attention, and in no case should this be left to a mere “put 
out fires” enterprise. Patrol, rigid, regular, and ample patrol is 
the only satisfactory method. But will this pay? Always! pro- 
vided we apply a reasonable amount of forethought and economy. 
The little tree costs less than a cent to put in the ground, it is 
worth at least one dollar when fifty years old. But here let me 
warn against rash expectations. Forestry is not a speculative, 
promoters’ business; it is a form of agriculture, and though gen- 
erally the safest form, forestry, like other branches of this busi- 
ness, pays only a modest per cent on the investment. Neverthe- 
less, if the state of Saxony can make five dollars per acre per year 
net, we ought soon to make one-fifth or one-third of this, and 
thus do better than that continuous failure performance of 
would-be farming on poor land. 
Reforestation in our state, as in many others, is needed and 
must come. It is a great problem and a problem which needs 
thorough consideration from all standpoints. For its success it 
needs considerable legislation and recognition on the part of our 
statesman and local authorities. It needs notification of the atti- 
