JOSEPH TRIMBLE ROTHROCK 211 



a course of summer lectures on Botany and For- 

 estry in Horticultural Hall, in Fairmount Park, 

 under the so-called Michaux bequest, to the 

 American Philosophical Society. 



" In 1893 the time seemed to be ripe for legis- 

 lative action. I drew up a bill creating a commis- 

 sion to investigate and report upon the forestry 

 condition of the state. 



" This bill was passed by the legislature, and 

 the sum of $25,000 was appropriated for the 

 work. The report was to be made to the legisla- 

 ture in 1895. My active colleague in the work 

 was William F. Shunk, one of the most accom- 

 plished civil engineers that the country has ever 

 produced. We labored incessantly during the 

 time allowed and, I think, produced as good a 

 report as could reasonably have been expected. 

 We were conscious of its shortcomings, but it was 

 kindly received over the commonwealth, and not 

 less than 50,000 copies were distributed over the 

 state. The book contained 361 pages, 47 full- 

 page and other illustrations, and a number of 

 maps. 



" The State Department of Agriculture was 

 created in 1895. ^^ t^'is, there being a division 

 devoted to forestry, I was appointed, late in the 

 year. Commissioner of Forestry, with Robert S. 

 Conklin as my clerk. In 1901 forestry had be- 

 come important enough in public esteem to war- 



