BOOK NOTICES. 



IMPORTANT TO FORESTERS. 



"The Forests of Rhode Island" is the 

 title of Bulletin 88, issued from Kingston 

 by the Agricultural Experiment Station of 

 the Rhode Island College of Agriculture 

 and Mechanic Arts. 



The forestry problem in general is first 

 discussed, it being shown that the aim of 

 forestry is judicious cutting, not the pre- 

 vention of all cutting. The economic im- 

 portance and the financial side of forests 

 are treated briefly, the conclusion being that 

 profit can be hoped for only on land of lit- 

 tle agricultural importance. Serious ene- 

 mies to the forest are fire and taxation ; the 

 former not so much on account of the dam- 

 age which it causes to standing timber as 

 from the fact that by it the young growth 

 is destroyed and reproduction thereby pre- 

 vented. Taxation is liable to be an enemy 

 to the forest, because, on account of the 

 long time that must elapse before the crop 

 can be harvested, even seemingly low taxes 

 may cause the final cost to be brought above 

 the possible returns. The public benefits 

 are so great that in a few States laws exist 

 for the exemption of forest lands from tax- 

 ation. The Rhode Island, Massachusetts 

 and Connecticut laws are incomplete, since 

 they refer only to artificial planting, which 

 is the exception rather than the rule in for 

 estry. The Pennsylvania law, however, 

 provides for a rebate on natural timber 

 lands of 80 per cent, of the taxes, county 

 and local. The rebate may not exceed 45 

 cents per acre, nor be granted to any indi- 

 vidual on more than 50 acres. 



A fully illustrated account of the charac- 

 ter and distribution of the forests of Rhode 

 Island is given. It is estimated that 40 pei 

 cent, of the area of the State is woodland. 

 In 1900, there were 33 saw-mills in the 

 State, and 2 tie and lumber camps. 

 The total lumber product of the State 

 amounted in that year to 18,265,000 feet 

 B.M., of which about 80 per cent, was 

 white pine. The forestry question in Rhode 

 Island is mainly one of dollars and cents, 

 since the danger from floods is compara- 

 tively slight, there being no mountains and 

 few high hills ; and since close proximity 

 to the ocean insures a humid atmosphere, 

 thus doing away with the necessity of the 

 forest as a wind-break. 

 ( The pamphlet concludes with a discus- 

 sion of the value of a few of the more im- 

 portant species of trees, from the economic 

 standpoint. 



Indicative of the remarkable growth of 

 interest in the forestry problem in the 

 United States, is the fact that during the 

 past year several books on the subject have 

 made their appearance, addressed to all 



classes of readers. The appearance of these 

 books fills a definite want, for hitherto it 

 has been impossible for one unacquainted 

 with French or German to procure authori- 

 tative literature upon this subject, the great 

 importance of which is now being recog- 

 nized by the public. 



DR. JOHN C GIFFORD'S NEW BOOK. 



In his "Practical Forestry," Prof. John 

 Gifford has presented a practical treatise 

 on the science and art of forestry. It is in- 

 tended for the use of the general reader, 

 giving a broad insight into the subject as a 

 whole, and presenting much information of 

 value to those who have tracts of woodland 

 to be managed, as well as to those who are 

 interested in the various industries con- 

 nected with forests and forest products. 

 The subject is treated in its relation to the 

 kindred subjects of agriculture and horti- 

 culture, and is shorn of all unnecessary 

 mathematics and technicalities. 



Part I., Introductory, treats of the mean- 

 ing of forests and forestry; woodlots on 

 farms ; forest estates and the relation of 

 silviculture to the kindred arts ; the forest 

 canopy, forest floor, and wood mass ; the 

 forest as an agent in modifying the surface 

 of the earth and in checking the destruc- 

 tive forces of nature ; and the geographical 

 distribution of forests. Part II. discusses 

 the formation of forests, the use of im- 

 provement cuttings, and methods of protec- 

 tion against fire, atmospheric agencies, in- 

 sects, parasites, weeds, etc. Part III. treats 

 of the industrial importance of forests- 

 Part IV., Supplementary, contains an ac- 

 count of the principal Federal and State 

 reservations, together with a descriptive list 

 of 50 American trees. 



Mr. J. W. Lloyd, a contributor to Recre- 

 ation, has written a book. As its title, 

 "The Natural Man," indicates, it is a plea 

 for a return to simple living, in close touch 

 with nature, and for the development of in- 

 dividuality. Many such pleas are in the 

 air nowadays, as the pressure of man's 

 achievement grows too strong to be borne 

 with comfort. The dream of peace im- 

 agined by Mr. Lloyd is unique and daring. 

 He disarms opposition, however, by his 

 salutation, "It is not meant, O Reader, 

 that you should live life as this man lived 

 it, but only that you should fearlessly and 

 gladly live your own life." On that basis 

 it is interesting to follow Mr. Lloyd's idea, 

 which certainly offers many artistic possi- 

 bilities. 



"The Natural Man" is published by Ben- 

 edict Prieth, Newark, N. J. 



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