The Portland daily press., 1888-12-08
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE PRESERVATION OF THE FORESTS,
A Work In which MaIneI PeoIe are
Particularly Interested.
Proceedings otths Forestry Congress
In Atlanta.
what Is Being Done In tho Way OF
Legislation.

ATLANTA, Dec. THE three sessions OF
the Forestry Congress have been
crowded with valuable material The morn
ing was devoted to reports from those States
Of the Union from which representatives
were present. Responses were made as fol-
lows: Maine, the report Of the New Eng
land Commissioners, read by Secretary b. Z.
FernOn; New Hampshire. J. ID. Lyman;
Massachusetts,. j. w. ID. French; Connec-
tieut, Walter d. Smith; Vermont, j. b. Har.
rison Of New Hampshire; New York, Dr,
Wm. FL. Hale Of Albany; Pennsylvania.
Thomas ID. Edge and Professor Charles @.
Burney; District OF Columbia, Gem Adolf
phus w. Greeley and Professor Fernon:
South Carolina, II. A. Green; Georgia, Nel
son Tiff OF Albany, Ga. Florida. Mrs. Ellen
q. Long, Alabama, Prof. Charles Mohr.
Minnesota, Richard Choate Ohio. leo
Weltz; Illinois, j. w. Miner; Iowa v. II
Shipman, formerly Of that State, now OF
Florida; Kentucky, Judge w. Il. Knott;
wyoming and Colorado, Colonel Edgar T.
Ensign; California, report Of Albert Kinney,
chairman OF the State Board Of Forestry.
read by Secretary Fernon. Arbor days have
now been appointed In almost all States A
report In regard TO the effort Of the Forestry
tiOnal Congress Of bill for the preservation
and management OF the public timber lands
was made by M. Eglest0n, OF the commit
tee on legislation. Such bill, prepared a
year ago BY the Forestry Congress, was pre-
Memorials In its behalf from eminent per
sons and associations In various parts OF the
country were also sent 10 Congress. The
committee on legislation used every means
IN their power 70 secure the favorable con-
sideration Of the bill BY the committee In
the House Of Representatives and senate 10
whom IL was referred. But the House com.
mittee smOthered the bill In one OF their
OVID, which was defective. In.the Senate
the bill did not even secure hearing.
General Greedy read paper on the rain
fall Of twelve States and territories. mostly
In the arid regions. The bearing OF the
water supply on forestry depends on the
view taken BY the Geological Survey. A
memberfof this corps recently stated that he
hoped the time would soon come when the
Rocky Mountains would be stripped Of every
tree, so that there would be no Obstruction
to the free flow OF water. The States cover
ed by General Greely's paper include more
tnan hali the area OF the United States.
Recent observations show a much larger
rainfall In the arid regions than has been
supposed. The Importance Of this has been
demonstrated by the experience Of Australia,
showing increased yield Of wheat In proper
ton with increased rainfall The restric-
tion OF the Indians TO reservations has re-
moued one source Of fires, and new growth
Of forest has sprung up within ten years.
Cl0ud-Dursts occur almost Invariably In
regions destitute Of forests. The influence
OF forests in increasing rainfall has prob
ably been overrated, though they seem to
70 exert this influence to q s light extent
Their great value Is In conerving and slowly
parting with the supply.
Professor Egleston read a paper on the
forestry outlook. Notwithstanding the dis
appointment at the failure Of Congress to
enact suitable legislation, there Is general
rising Of the tide Of public opinion In regard
TO forestry matters, under the leadership Of
the press. The slow progress Is characters
tic OF all the schemes OF education. The pa
per reviewed In detail the condition Of the
different parts Of the United States. The
State OF New York he says Is the only East
ern state which has any public lands or for
ests under government control, 100000
acres In the Adirondaeks and 5000 acres In
the Catskills. Gratifying results followed
the appointment OF the forest commission In
1885, the ravages OF FIRE having been almost
entirely checked, timber thieving and other
depredati0ns suppressed and $4,000 recoy-
cred from former trespassers. The result Is
seen in marked increase in the market val
ne OF land.
Professor Charles Mohr read a paper en-
titled, What are the interests Of private
owners OF forest lands In view Of the present
status OF the lumber INTEREST,"" and g. Wat
kinson paper containing "SOme sugges-
tfons for the protection OF our shade forest
trees" Senator Brown made brief address
expressing sympathy with the work OF the
Congress-.