Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-01-23

A Letter from Col. Robertson to tho Sta:e
Forestry Associatlou-His Interest in the
Work.
At the meeting of the State Forestry as
ISOLATION on Tuesday evening the following
letter from Col. D. A. Robertson was read.
Col. Robertson is one of our Oldest citizens,
and has taken deep interest in all measures
seeming to tend to the improvement of the
State in whatever direc ton. 1t is to be re-
GREETED that circumstances prevented his at
tendance at the convention, but it will be-
gratifying to find that his heart is still inter
ested in the work Of the association. The
letter follows:
ST.. PAUL, Mimi, Jan. Is, 1880.
To Pennock Pusey. Treasurer M. 8. F. A.:
DEAR SIR will be unable to keep my prom
Use to attend the meeting of the State Forestry
association, for the reason that friend with
whom have an engagement will arrive at my
house this evening and will leave in the morn
ing, go that cannot attend the meeting to-
night.
regret to learn it is feared that you will
have small attendance. This association,
like most other endeavors for the public veal,
which depend for success more upon useful
norance, must be content with the cooperation
of very few public spirited citizens. For
tunately the Forestry association has capable
and energetic secretary upon whom, almost
alone, depends success. I would not know
where to seek man to fill his place. 1 am
convinced that upon the adequate financial
support of the State Forestry association, de-
of our climate which are essential to the agri-
cultural and other industrial interests of our
State. This is the plain teaching of authentic
history and scientific investigation. By the de-
struction of forests many once prolific regions
of the globe have lost their fertility, opulence
and civilizations; while in other regions, as in
our prairie and treeless plains, the satisfactory
success of civilized colonization absolutely dc
Ponds upon the planting and scientific distrib-
ution of trees. It ia by such subduing and
replenishing of our treeless regions. that tor
nadoes and midsummer hail storms, SO fire.
quently destructive to grain and other crops ;
the often blight of crops from parching arid
ity, causing also the failure ofsprings and wells
and failure of the soil to produce a sufficient
supply of wood for fuel and other domestic
uses; the incursion and frequent recurrence of
vast armies of locusts and other destructive in
sects; the terrible visitation of wintry 'bliz-
yards, Sacrificing the lives of human beings and
domestic animals aud obstructing travel and
transportation; the destruction of game birds
and of birds generally. and the consequent
failure of fruit trees; the exposure of our adj
vancing settlements to autumbal and vernal
fires, and the damage and failure of crops from
the other various hurtful climatic phenomena,
are to be avoided .S4.r{ -a<.-s. >S -"
In brief, the history of forestry proves that
these and many other adverse phenomena may
be greatly avoided and controlled, by an apple
cation of methods of tree planting, such as
have been successfuily demonstrated and ap-
proved in many parts of Europe.
The annual saving that would be secured to
this State by comprehensive system of tree
planting, advancing close abreast With frontier
populations, would be far more than sufficient
| to pay all present State expenses and would
| doubtless provide large surplus fund. and
much more than needed, to complete within q
few years the comprehensive arborial improve
ment Of the whole State. which would not only
vastly increase the general prosperity, but also
supersede the labors Of emigrant aid orgsnizs'
| TONS. The intelligence of the State should be
made SO fully informed on this subject tina,
our next legislature would be required to grant
appropriations sni1isient 10 make our State
Foreatry association complete success.
| II any Of the foregoing suggestions appeal
worthy of remark. You can make such use Cd
them as you may think proper.
Very truly yours, D. A. RoBERTsoN.