CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 33 



of all sorts, shapes and descriptions. We are farming around Bos- 

 ton on land worth $1,000 to $3,000 per acre, and covering it with 

 glass houses, and the market stands behind the farmer. The time 

 is right for the business man to see the opportunity, and it takes 

 business men. This work should be developed along definite lines, 

 and that is the only way in which we can get anjrwhere. Education, 

 if you please, all along forestry lines. The question of forestry 

 is the one nearest to me. Lots of our people have never seen a 

 pine seed, and they wonder whether pines sprout from hardwood 

 sometimes. I sent out a little pamphlet, entitled " How and when 

 to collect White Pine Seed," last year, and now children are 

 sending in pine seeds. I got a letter from a large wholesale seeds- 

 man last week, and he said the whole seed trade had been de- 

 moralized by the pamphlet we sent out, which showed that the 

 people were interested in this matter. 



This work must go hand in hand with agriculture. Our farmers 

 ought to take hold of a lot of farms that have been used for pasture 

 purposes heretofore. Dairy animals must be nurtured on soiling 

 crops and concentrated foods, and not allowed to travel over these 

 waste lands hunting for something to eat. This would mean a 

 large increase in our forest growth, particularly of white pine. 

 WTiat is white pine? If we were to move out of Massachusetts 

 or K"ew England to-morrow, in the course of a hundred years it 

 would all be grown up to forest. This is indicative as to how we 

 may return these waste lands to forests, not only from an economic 

 and aesthetic standpoint at present, but from the standpoint of the 

 great future of this country. We have a natural ideal country 

 where people delight to come in the summer. Even after cutting 

 our timber, there are still great possibilities of economy and beauty 

 in the hills. When we can get our lumbermen and saw-mill men 

 to see things as they are, they are the very men who will return 

 these lands to forestry; and I believe it is necessary to attack this 

 undertaking along well-directed lines. 



I believe it is necessary to pass laws to restrict fires. Look at 

 the fires running rampant all over the United States this past 

 year. We have had some very good legislation the past year. Tlie 

 321 forest wardens that were appointed in Massachusetts last year 

 are men I pride myself on to-day. They stood right by me this 

 summer, and stopped many of the fires that would otherwise have 

 been very destructive. Forestry goes hand in hand with general 

 agriculture. Let us concentrate our industry on the best lands, 

 putting them into apple and other farm crops. Then the rest of 



