Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-21
Forestry Preservation.

: - tDts VI 1t4lAyt Dec is.
Ia connection with the annual meeting of
.ne Maine State Grange. This conve nriop
mas been called for the purpose Of discu..-
ing the question of Maine forests in their re-
ias'on to the general industries Of the peouIe
Oh listening to addresses on the subject BY
persons who have made il a special sfzdy.
@nd vi celebrating upon and recommending
such acts Of legislation as may be deemed
necessary to encourage the planting and
preservation Of timber trees and 20 lessen the
Danger of their destruction by czreIess Ere,
Of ~anton tresspzssT
IL viii be remembered that a preliminary
movement in this matter was made a, the
meeting Of the State Grange at skowhexzn
ias' fall, which vas eminentiy successful.
aad resulted in an advance movement
throughout the State in regard to the i'm
port2nee of the subject of forestry pre-
servaton and conservation. People have
had an idea, which has been very errone-
Gus one, that Maine was all woods. that our
forests were increasing faster than they
we're being reduced by the demands Of lum-
Der manufacturers, and that il was sheer
folly to attempt To talk about the preserva-
ton and restoration of our foresu. Such
would be q mere ssste of effort. Our foi-
ests would be all right But this, however,
has been shown to be wrong. That stxie is
si'e which acts ia season on all grave mat
ters Of public concern, and does not wait for
injury To be done before it sets out to rem
edy that injury. The problem Of presers-
ins and restoring the forest growth upon the !
Wild and rough lands of the /
State is engaging the attention OF
those having the authority in many of the /
Older States. The defoliatiou of the forests
is becoming a very serious matter. Timber /
hard wood timber is becoming scarce, and .
manufacturers are looking about Tor the oc-
cupancy Of ne~ sections OF hard wood growth.
The forests of Maine are eIeee lingly yalua
bic in these woods. Their value should BE-
appreciated aud the care aud preservation
OF our forest and timber Tree. be made the
protection of the State. More stringen,
laws than we now possess to prevent and
punish the destruction OF WOODS. by the care
less setting of fires. are needed; and the
planting of trees, as well as the better care
of those already set, are also subjects about
which public information should be dissem.
mated.
It is in view of the great Importance OF
this question and the need of better knowl-
edge IN reference TO il, that the call for the
above convention has been issued. II has
been very generally signsd by the leading
public men Of Maine, regardless of party.
In this city the call was headed by Gov elect
Hon. +. c, Burleigh. and signed by Elias
MIlliken an several of our leading business
men. In Portland the call was led off with
the name of EIGov. Robe. who
is very enthusiastic upon the sub
ject. followed by the names of Ex-Goy.
Selden Common, Hon Geo. +. Talbot, Hon.
W. L. Putnam, T.. IL. Elwell, John Mar
shall Brown and half dozen others. The
Dingley, Jr., and followed by the names of
r. &. Plngree, James Woo Daniel Holland
and others. From Calais the call is signed
by +. e. Gates, Charles +. Todd, +. II.
Todd Sons James Murchie Sons, Henry
f. Eaton & Sons. AMI J. Murry Hill, all of
them lumbermen. President NJ c. Fernald
of the State College and Hon. John c. Tai
bot OF Maehias are also among the signers of
the call. The Bangor paper is headed by
Hon. Hannibal Hamlin and has he sigma
lures of + A. Wilson, ex-Gov. Daniel f.
Davis, VIM. T. Pearson, T. w. Carr, Aug.
c. Hamlin, n. c. Aver, Edward Swasey, l..
Bradley, A. ID. Manson, Hon. j. p. Bass,
Frank Hinekley, j. II. Boxles, Frank CD
man, John Appleton, VIM. H. McCrillis, Il.
). Coe, Henry NJ. frent.ss and Jos. +. Snow
I he above names show that the import
ance of this subject is fully appreciated by
the leading citizens and representative lunI-
bermen OF the State, and they also indicate
hat the coming convention will bs disun-
guis ied one in influence and character.
Many of the above gentlemen, including
e1-Gov Counor and several gentlemen in
AuSusta, Iottiahu anu ptHtf phrls Oh tne
state, have united in an invitation to Hon.
Norman Y. Colman, L, 5. commissioner of
agriculture at Washington, ID. C., to send to
the convention the chief of the forestry
division of the department, Mr.. b. +. Fer
now, from whom the convention will expect
to hear. Papers will also be presented by
Hon. Geo. +. Talbot of Portland, Prof. f.
l.. Harvey OF the State College, and others.
There il every indication that the coming
annual meeting of that great body of Maine
farmers, the State Grange, will be one of
the most important public meetings ever
held in the state to discuss questions con-
nected with our forests and their preserva-