Forestry Congress. 413 



appropriations, which enabled it to offer premiums for 

 the setting out of plantations, to distribute plant 

 material, and also to publish and distribute widely a 

 Tree Planters' Manual, revised editions of which were 

 issued from time to time. 



In 1875, Dr. John A. Warder issued a call for a con- 

 vention in Chicago to form a national forestry associa- 

 tion. This association was completed, in 1876, at 

 Philadelphia, but never showed any life or growth. 



In 1882, a number of patriotic citizens at Cincinnati 

 called together a forestry congress, incited thereto by 

 the visit and representations of Baron von Steuben, a 

 Prussian forest ofiBcial, when visiting this country on 

 the occasion of the centennial celebration of the sur- 

 render of Yorktown. 



A very enthusiastic and representative gathering, on 

 April 25, was the result, lasting through the week, 

 which led to the formation of the American Forestry 

 Congress. In the same year, in August, a second meet- 

 ing was held in Montreal, under the patronage of the 

 Canadian government, and the name was changed to 

 the American Forestry Association. In 1898, it began 

 the publication of a propagandist journal. The Fores- 

 ter (later changed to Forestry and Irrigation, and now 

 again to Conservation). It has now a membership of 

 over 5,000. Much of the early educational propaganda 

 was done through this association. Indeed, this asso- 

 ciation, holding yearly and intermediate meetings ia 

 different parts of the States, became the center of all 

 private efforts to advance the forestry movement. 

 Twelve volumes of its proceedings contain not only the 

 history of progress in establishing a forest policy, but 



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