The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-19
Tree Culture ON our Prairies.

The meeting held iu st. Paul on the
10Th inst, was very largely attended
by members Of the Legislature, leading
citizens of the city, and representative
men from the treeless regions. The
meeting was called to order by Senator
Blake, when Prof. Lacy of the State Uni.
Verslty, from the committee appointed to
prepare draft of constitution, proce ed
ed to read such document,
which was adopted without amend.
ment. This is in substance
as follows: The organization is to be
known as 'Thc Minnesota Forestry
Association having for its object the
encouragement and promotion of forest
culture by the collection and diffusion of
practical information on that subject,
and by the discussion OF all questions
pertaining thereto; to secure the general
observance of "Arbor Day. throughout
the State, and TO promote the ultimate
redemption of the treeless regions of the
State. The officers are to be president.
one vice president from each congress
slonal district, secretary, a treasurer,
and an executive committee consisting of
the president, secretary and five elective
members. The president, in addition to
the ordinary duties as such, is to deliver
an annual address on the subject of forest
culture in Minnesota. The membership
fee is 81, and each member is entitled to
a copy of the Association yearly trans
actions. The annual session is appoint.
ed on the second Tuesday in each jan
uary, its place of meeting and the times
and places ofspecial meetings being left
at the discretion of the executive COM
mittee, whose further duty it is to ar.
range the programme for the annual
meeting.
The following gentlemen present, then
handed in their names to the Secretary
for membership. Messrs. G. F. Solberg,
|. Donnelly, j. A. Everett, D. A. Rob.
sertson, E. F. Drake, VIM. II. Brown.
Horace Austin, VIM. II. Miller, j. 3.
Phillips, A. j. Jones. Loren Listoe, and
W. Petit. This gives the
new Association membership
already of nearly SO, which it is believed
will be increased without trouble to
nearly Or quite 1000.
After some discussion it was decided
that Arbor Day be held this year on the
first Tuesday of May. In this connection
MIR. Ford said he was authorized to renew
through the Association the offer of pre-
miums made last year by the Pioneer
Press, Mr.. Hodges doing the same on be.
half of the st. Paul & Pacific railroad, at
the same time mentioning that the pre-.
MUM Of this company last year was
earned by Meeker county boy of ID,
who set out unaided, on Arbor Day, 3,Ol3
cuttings. Mr.. Hodges also said his ex.
perience in tree planting was that the
earlier in the spring the work could be
done, the better. Heavy rains usually
fell in May, and this gave the young trees
the necessary chance to take root and
grow. Last spring, though it was back
ward season, the tree planting crew Of
the railroad company set out 100000
cuttings on the first day of May, the
trees thriving we'll. He favored
special inducements being Of
cred through the Associ-
alton for special observance of Arbor
Day, by the offer Of premiums, etc., and
closed his remarks by calling attention to
the fact that it took money to keep such
an institution moving, and therefore pro-
ceeded to pay over his dollar. an exam.
pie that was followed by the members
present.
MR.. DONNELLY
said that for many years he had taken 4
lively interest in the subject matter for
the advance of which the Association had
been organized. He did not think there
was any one subject Of more importance
to the people of this State, and upon
which SO much depended in the future !
settlement and development of the tree
less wastes to the west of Us, as the en-
of tree cultivation. At
the first blush it looked as
if these great treeless sections
would have to be given over to perpetual
desolation. But not so. The time was
when it was thought the great Prair'es of
lllliois could never be settled. Now they
comprise the very garden of the State.
In our own State the experience has been
that settlers Rugged close to the timber,
but We now find the prairies in oil the
older settled counties, taken up and their
stertility and barrenness,removed by tree
transformed into the most