78 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 
American Forests.—Dr. J. T. Rothrock, of the University of Pennsylva- 
nia, recently delivered one of the course of University lectures in Association 
Hall, Philadelphia, taking for his subject “The relation of American Forestry 
to American Industry.” Some of its salient features are brought out in the 
following synopsis from The American: 
University lecture was a summary of the latest development of the 
f i rad 
necessity of forestry laws to protect the future timber e he co ya 
showed the perce tages of timber land er productive territories, from the 
ree per cent. of Great Britain to t and that the 
he forty-five per cent. of Swe ; 
lowest ratio that can be called self-sustaining is fifteen per cent., while we have 
i lf per cent. between dearth and supply. _At the 
r 
y; The rain-fall is not necessarily affected by clearin timbe 
but failing springs and falling rivers do result from it, for forests diminish 
evaporation over eighty per cen 
: ght ent. 
o at is the practical remedy within reach? Professor Rothrock points to 
er * . . 
ny, with its nine forest schools, their high standard, and their able te: ch- 
ers and classes of pupi ne man,in this country, Professor Sargent, 
of Massachusetts, is the only person employed and paid by a State to look after 
r vast empire of ti worked hard to secure active measures to 
protect the interest entrusted to exemption of preserved forests from 
tax Id soon return t rev in the ced valu the tim- 
0 e ‘ 
The reckless destruction of trees is the first thing to be cured. Even if 
Congress withdraws national timber land from sale, it will be only a palliative, 
and there are no trained men to which this source of future wealth 
can be safely entrusted. Within five years, our best white pine will all ! 
gone; within thirty-five or forty years, all the rest of our good timber will - 
h ve been exhausted. Can there be any question about the necessity of such 
legislation, State and National, as shall protect the country from a timber fam- 
ine? 
in plants, and not especially 
