Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-25
THEY MEET AT THE hub"
AMERICAN FORESTRY CONGRESS
Measures for the Preservation of Forests
Discussed distinguished Men Present
The Question has Bearing on
Climate and water supply.

BosTON, Sept %. - The fourth an
nual meeting of the American Forestry
CONGRESS- was opened at Horticultural hall
this morning by w G. Strong, who in
troduced Mayor o. Brien to make the in
troductory remarks. The mayor spoke
brief words of welcome, which were re
piled to by President Highly who said the
salubrity of our climate and a good water
supply largely depended on the presence
of the forests. lie wanted the matter in.
troduccd into the public schools,
Letters of apology mt the afternoon SEES
sion were read from Gov Harrison of Con
necticut, Senator Warner Miller, chair
man of the ForeSty committee, Gen
Ward, Hon. Charles f. Adams, Prof
Adams OF Cornell university. the COVER
nor of Vermont and Mr. II. G. Putnam
All these letters expressed satisfaction
with the object of the congresses and
hoped the session would result in success.
Rev. \. H. EglestOn, chief of the forestry
division of the department of agriculture,
of Washington, read Il paper giving some
facts and figures in regard to the forests
of the country and their consumption
we have 10000 miles of railway includ-
ing side-tracks and it has required 1885,
ing that the ties require to be renewed
once in six years, and that 10000 miles of
new road are built annually, il we allow
twenty-five years as the time necessary
for trees to attain Il size suitable for max
Ing ties, it would require 100000 acres
of standing timber to supply the annual
demand for ties, or an area almost equal
to that OF Vermont New Hampshire, Con
neclcut and Rhode Island combined.
The census gives the amount of timber
cut in 1850, as Is billion feet. Last year
the amount had increased to % billion
feet, which would lay bare an area of s.
100000 acres, equal very nearly to that of
New Hampshire. Altogether 1t appears
that forests of this country are subject to
an annual drain of IS, 80 OS9 acres which
would clear Il wooded surface equal in eX-
tent to the area of all the New England
states, together with New Jersey and
Maryland. We may well Inquire how
long forests can endure this drain.
Following Mr.. Egleston's address, the
delegates We're called upon and spoke of
the operations of the societies i'll their dis
tricts Among others. Dr. Cutting of Yer
mont said that at Concord stream of
seven or eight miles in length, which was
strong enough to supply power for
two large saw mills, and other water
works, has become SO changed that
instead of water supply, it has been dry
for half its length during the summer
months. He thought stringent laws
should be enacted to protect the trees and
especially in New England
The discussion was followed by papers
by Prentice Milford of Boston, and Prof.
f.. b. SOuthwick. At the evening session
Gov Robinson delivered an address of
welcome and called attention to the press
ing importance of the water question and
the matter of preserving the forests. He
was followed by eX-Gov. Morton, Hon.
George b. Loring and Prof. b. q. North
rop all of whom spoke strongly for forest
preservation.
A resolution was adopted approving the
late movement of q. A. Il, posts by which
Decoration day is transformed into an
Arbor day, the planting of trees being sub
stitutei for flowers. The Congress then
adjourned until tomorrow.