The American Midland Naturalist 



PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY THE UNIVERSITY 

 OF NOTRE DAME, NOTRE DAME, INDIANA. 



VOL. III. MAY, 1914. NO. 9. 



FOREST ARBORETA. 



BY MR. CHARLES M. DOW. 



I am to have the privilege of talking to you about forest 

 arboreta. I shall extend that privilege somewhat, and talk a 

 little about forests and forestry as well. 



A practical man would satisfy himself as to the reasons for 

 doing a thing before he considered the method for doing it. Before 

 we take up the question of the method of establishing a forest 

 arboretum, let us first see whether such an object lesson in forest 

 planting is necessary or desirable. 



A lecturer in the science of medicine would not be likely to 

 impress or properly instruct his students, did he talk glowingly 

 about the hospitals, but omit all reference to the patients them 

 selves. And I think we would all be disappointed, if we attended 

 a lecture on scientific farming and listened to a lengthy disser- 

 tation on hoes and plows, and rakes and fertilizers — and heard 

 not a single word about seeds and crop yields, and how to harvest 

 them. 



It is the same with forestry. Before a man talks about an 

 arboretum, or about sylviculture, or forest management, or forest 

 utilization, or before he advises others to practice them, he should 

 be wholly sure in his own mind that all these things are wise and 

 necessary and wholly practicable. I want to make this point very 

 clear — the need for being sure about the justification and the. 

 need for doing the thing before we talk about the method of doing it. 



* Address given at the meeting of the New York State Foresters' asso- 

 ciotion, held in New York, January 24, 1914. 



Mr. Dow is superintendent of Letchworth park and his work has 

 attracted so much attention that he is frequently in demand as a speaker 

 On forestry. 



