Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-12-31
Shall the Forestry Station be Con.
tlnued?

Shall the Forestry Station be Con
tlnued?
There are probably none of the insti
tutions under the states management
that are exciting more comment in west
ern Kansas at this time, than thos.
known az the Kansas State Forestry
Stations at Ogallah and Dodge City. I,
would be useless to deny that there has
been much deserved and undeserved
criticism passed upon the management
of these forestry farms for the past four
years; hence our desire to impart what
knowledge we have of them at the present
time.
Having been q close and interested OBJ.
server of the workings of the one located
at Ogallah, and the further fact that, per-
sonally. We have been wrestling with the
problem OF tree growing here in western
Kansas for the past twelve years, war
rants US il assuming that we know some
thing of what we are writing about.
That the bill creating these stations was
the wisest and most benifcent act for
western Kansas that has ever been
passed has not and will never be denied
by those who gave the subject careful
thought. The conception and framing
of that bill by the Hon. W. 8. Tilton was
the elimination Of six years careful
study of the timber problem upon these
western plains. We are willing to con-
cede. after observing the workings of
these stations for six years, that not
word, sentence or syllable could at this
time be improved upon. 1t is net strange,
yet true, with but possibly one exception,
none of the commissioners have, in any
sense, carried out the real spirit aud in
tent of the act creating these stations.
In the establishing of these stations,
their prime objects, in view, we're:
First-To encourage the growing of
forest trees by distributing free to ap-
plicants seedlings in such numbers as
could be grown and cared for with the
appropriation.
Second-Experimental-To give prac-
tical tests as to the kinds of trees best
adapted to this climate, together with
such information as the commissioner
might impart to the public through ex-
periments upon forestry farms. And last
but not least of importance by any
means, to test thoroughly the practicable
ity of growing forest trees (whether sue
,essfully or partially SOY in western Kan
sas. If by continuing these stations the
period OF ten years a re-
suit, that question shall have been SET
tled-then their cost of main.aipance by
'he people has been but mere tribe in
Iced compared with the benefits to be
derived by all. We have not undertaken
% write OF this subject in spirit of fault
hiding. Errors quite numerous, we con.
,ede, have hampered, in a great measure,
he usefulness of this most compendable
If it were cot SO it would |
'equire but little effort to obtain such an
appropriation from the state as would |
place them on so high plane that no |
question could again be raised as to their |
success. The limited appropriation that |
vas made by our last legislature was not |
n conformity with the provisions of the
dill under which these tracts of land were
donated to The state; ror can such an |
appropriation be made to answer the re-
luirements to carry on, with any degree
# success, these stations for the next two
Tears.
rs result of these and other facts
which force themselves upon US, We are
compelled TO say-let the appropriation
70 what the act calls for or let it be moth
Dg. KETCHUM.
Ogallah, Kansas, December q, 1892.