Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-01-15
TREE CULTURE.

| A Letter from Col. Robertson to the State
Forestry AssoclatIOn-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 direction. 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. l3, 1880.
| To Pennock Pussy Treasurer M. 8. F. A.:
| DEAR SRI will be unable to keep my prom
Use to attend the meeting of the State Forestry
association, for the reason that a friend with
whom have an engagement will arrive at my
house this evening and will leave in the morn
| ing, SO 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
| knowledge than upon main Atrength and ig-
| 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. l would not know
| where to seek man to fill his place. ! am
| convinced that upon the adequate financial
| support of the State Forestry association, de-
ponds, in very great degree, the ameliorations
| 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 civilization; while in other regions, as in
our prairie and treeless plains, the satisfactory
| success of civilized colonization absolutely de-
| ponds upon the planting and scientific distrib-
| ution of trees. 1t is by such subduing and
replenishing of our treeless regions. that tor
nadoes and midsummer hail storms, 80 fire.
| quently destructive to grain and other crops;
| the often blight of crops from parching arid
ity, causing also the failure ofsprngs and wells,
and failure of the soil to produce sufficient
| supply of wood for fuel and other domestic
| uses; the incursion and frequent recurrence of
| vast armies of locuats and other destructive in
sects; the terrible visitation of wintry "bliz-
yards, sacrificing the lives of human beings and
domestic animals. and obstructing travel and
transportation; the destruction of game birds
and of birds generally. and the consequent
failure of fruit trees; the exposure of our ad-
vancing settlements to autumnal and vernal
fires, and the damage and failure of crops from
| the other various hurtful climatic phenomena,
are to be avoided.
In brief the history of forestry proves that
these and many other adverse phenomena may
be greatly avoided and controlled, by an appli-
cation of methods of tree planting, such as
have been successfully 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 a
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 organiza-
| tions. The intelligence of the State should be
made so fully informed on this subject that
our next legislature would be required to grant
appropriations sufficient to make our State
Forestry association complete success.
If any of the foregoing suggestions appear
worthy of remark, you can make such use of
them you may think proper.
Very truly yours, d. A. ROBERTSON.