St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-04
Our Denuded Forests Bring
Down Condemnation
Sans Stint
At the Annual Meeting Of the
Forestry Association
Yesterday.
Bishop Gets a Big Verdict
Against the Street Car
Company.
The Baldwin Seminary Has a
Narrow Escape From
Destruction.

State Forestry association was called
to order by Vice President Stevens at
the state capitol at o'clock yesterday
afternoon. The meeting opened with a
general discussion of the forestry inter-
ests, Mr.. Someryille, the horticulturist
OF the farmers institute, being the first
speaker. He said it was serious mis-
take of the government of the United
States to ever part with the title to the
big woods for agricultural purposes. 1t
would have been of far greater value to
the state if set aside for forestry-the
best medium III which to reach farmers
to instruct and interest them in tree
growing and forest preservation.
Gen George j.. Becker heartily in
dorsed Mr.. Somerville's remarks, and
said unless we plant trees upon our
prairies and preserve the existing for
ests our state will soon become unfit for
habitation.
A. w. Latham thought forestry
commission. similar to the fish commis
sion, could work more effectually than
the present forestry association.
S. NJ. Owen, editor of Farm, Stock
and Home. approached the question
with what he called righteous indigna-
ton. He said the national management
Of forestry affairs was blot upon our
civilization. While fostering this greed
for timber destruction, we are Obllterat-
ing our forests without making any pro-
vision for replenishing or preservation.
Mr.. Wygard. of Norman county, found
tree-groWing in his locality very diff
cult, due partly to ignorance and negli-
gence on the part of planters. A school
of forestry, where the proper method of.
tree-growing could be taught, was a
necessity.
Secretary C. l.. Smith said that dur
ing the winter of 1S99-90 no other sub
iect had created so much interest in the
farmers institute as his address on for
estry. Every tree planted and cared
for is worth more to the community as
a whole than to the individual; if A
plants grove of ten acres on his farm
every farm in the neighborhood Is ben
Gifted. If one-half the farms in
county were provided with ten or
twenty acres of forest each, it would
greatly increase the value OF
the adjoining farms. Four-fifths
of all argument regarding the value and
advantages OF timber culture apply to
the community as whole more than to
the individual; therefore we claim the
state should foster and encourage tree
planting by every available means. A
liberal annual appropriation should be
made to carry Oh the work, everything
pertaining to the subject should be in
vestigated, reports should be made, sue
cessful methods should be commended,
and all information acquired should be
freely and generally distributed. In our
own state millions of young trees are
annually destroyed by fire; young grow
ing timber is wantOnly destroyed. The
forestry problem is too important to be
left to the irregular, spaSmodlc action OF
individuals; it must be the protege of
the state. The health, prosperity and
comfort of the people require it. A
man is asked to improve his cow or
horse, manure his fields, rotate his
crops, plant small fruits, take better
care of his garden, and he will respond
with interest, for the benefits are imme
diate, the results apparent in year or
two at the farthest. Then the benefits
are all his own, the interests his own,
and he is easily induced to Investigate
and make use of improvements. But
ask him to plant timber plantation.
He replies that it takes too long to get
results; talk about climatic. influences,
that is everybOdy's business: danger OF
exhaustlng the timter supply of the
country, there will be enough for this
generation, let the next one look out for
itself. Tell him that gang pl0Ws and
gang saws will make desert of the
United States in nundredth part of
the time it took to destroy Syria. he re-
plies, let him who inhaDitS the desert
look out for that.
A resolution to. continue the work of
the association in stimulating an in
terest in free growing and forestry
preservation was adopted. 1t was also
resolved to secure representation OF
forestal interests at the worlds fair.
The retiring Secretary c. l.. Smith, was
rendered a vote of thanks for the
thorough manner in which ne per-
formed his duties. The following of
ficers were elected for the ensuing year;
j. II. Stevens, Minneapolis, presi-
dent; William Somervilie, Eyota; j.
NJ. Bowler. Bird Island; J. III. Baker,
Mankato; S. NJ. Owen. Minneapolis: F.
L. Hanson, of Ada, vice presidents;
j. 0. Barrett, Brown'sValley. secretary:
J. F. Williams, st. Paul, treasurer;
g. L. Becker, W.'R. Marshall, Herman
Trott, st. Paul: S. B. Green. St. Anthony
Park; L. H. Wilcox, Hasting, execu-
tive committee.