The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-26
How the Forestry Association Pro-
pose 10 Reclaim Our Prairics

How the Forestry Association Pro-
pose 10 Reclaim our Prairic.
An adjourned meeting of the State For
estry Association was held in the Su-
prcme Court room St. Paul, on the Goth
to consider the report OF the committee
on subjects requiring the action of the
Legislative Solons. Owing to the edi-
torial banquet being in progress at the
same time, and other gatherings of special
Importance, the attendance was not
quite what was expected, though a
goodly number of gentlemen, deeply
impressed with the Importance Of the OBJ
jects sought to be advanced through the
Association, were present, and by their
earnestness in the discussion Of the
various propositions advanced, made the
meeting a decided success, and gave the
movement decided forward impetus.
Immediately upon being called to order
by the President, Hon. E. F. Drake, the
meeting took up the report of the COM
mittec seriatim. The first proposition
was for the repeal of the law Of 1871.
providing for county bounties, its pro.
discussion that followed, however,
brought out the fact that the law expired
by limitation the coming season, and the
subject was dropped.
Second. Arbor day to be the first
Tuesday in May, but it's provisions and
privileges to hold good one week of SIX
days.
Mr.. Bishop was opposed to the last
clause Of the report. He thought il it was
generally understood that one day was to
be observed more would be accom-
plished than would be the case if the
time was extended through series of
days.
Mr.. Dunbar and Mr.. O'Brien were in
favor Of extending the time as any one
day decided upon might be too cold,while
F. r. Delano thought there should be one
day and three classes of premiums.
Finally the Association decided upon the
first Tuesday in May as Arbor Day.
On Mr.. Bishops motion the executive
committee was instructed to memorabilia
the Legislature for an appropriation suffi-
cient to, offer, $50 in premiums for tree
planting in counties properly des-
ignatcd prairie counties, manner of dis.
tribution, ETC., to be decided upon by the
committee, to- report at the next meeting.
Fourth-1t was decided to ask the
Legislature to amend the law relatingto
prairie fires, making the penalty for will
fully setting such fires $50 instead of
500 as now.
Fjfth-A general law compelling own
ers of live stock to fence them in, and
making them liable for all damages done
to crops and trees. g.
An animated and instructive discussion
ensncd on this point, q clear majority pro-
testing against fencing in and fencing out
laws as a relic Of the old feudal, days and
an uncalled for and Unnecessary hardship.
Mr.. Drake mentioned as an item in the
bill|of unnecessary expense, the fact that
under our present laws, it cost the rail-
road companies of the State 81 ,444 900 for
fencing, with an annual cost for repairs
of $226, 600, all of which came out of the
producer. - ...,.s
Mr.. L. B. Hodg es said the late census
reports showed we had $1,000 farms
in the. State, to fence which would cost
$50, 100000, on which the annual depre.
citation would be 10 per cent. His own
experience was that person could go on
to a frontier farm, break it up, harvest
the crop, ETC.. for less expense than it
would require to fence farm in the older
settled sections Of the State. ~. :
Finally the Association voted unani-
mously in favor of hefding, and making
OWNERSHIP cattle responsible for damages
SixthMAn e,x,te nsion Of the time for
<pcrfecting their claims under the tree
planting act to all prairie farms where
tEeesss haye been * destroyed BY graSshop-