The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-08
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
Spirited Discussion Marked the Meet
ing Yesterday.

The meeting of the State horticultural So
ciety yesterday morning was marked oy
spirited discussion as to the advisability of
restricting the amount of fruit to be exhib-
tied at the state fair hereafter, but the
proposition to restrict was finally voted
down. The first paper read was by j. p.
Brown, OF Connersville, on "An ENLARGED
Forest Area a Necessity to the State" He
maintained that a farmer could gather
heavier crops from ninety acres when one
tenth OF 1t was covered with forest trees
than another farmer could from one hun
dred acres planted wholly in crops. He held
that the gradual thinning out of forest
trees has multiplied the muItitudes of in
sects that feed on trees and make orchards
their abiding place for want of forests. Most
OF the insects, according to Mr.. Brown. once
inhabited the forests, but when these were
destroyed they adapted themselves TO the
changed condition of things and now live
III the gardens and orchards of the peOple
who are trying to find the reason for their
visitation. Since the forests were DESTROYED.
said Mr.. Brown, the summer droughts have
been more severe and streams which form
erly flowed continually are now dried UP
during a portion of the dryest weather
when they are most needed. Continuing,
1T is we'll known that the timber sup
ply IN every part of the country is being
consumed far more rapidly than. the new
growth is coming on, and in indiana there
are practically no young trees to continue
the supply. A catastrophe far greater than
war menaces the American continent. A
short half century hence fires started by
mans utter carelessness will complete the
destruction of the forests on our Western
mountain sides, while the ak will have COM
pleted its work OF demolishing every vestige
or timber upon the plains unless a radical
cnange IS entered upon. by the State Legis-
~latures, backed by public sentiment.
Land owners. who have for many years
endeavored 70 preserve a woodland, have
as heavily as the most productive fields, yet
they benefit others, but bring no revenue
to the owners. The State places a heavy
premium on forest destruction and drives
self-defense."
b. L. Fernow. of the New York College
of Forestry, read a paper on SHOULD For
estry Be Made a Part of the Course Of In
struction in Agricultural Colleges?' He
said forestry was being taught in eighteen
colleges and he did not think 1t advisable
to undertake to teach it in more than that
number at present, but he thought that as
work it should be taught in all agricultural
schools.
John Coburn in his address said that the
only hope there was for saving the trees
was to educate the children in the practice
of planting them, as there was little reason
TO hope for any help from legislatures in
the direction of saving the present forests
or planting new trees.
Professor w; +. Lazenby, Of Columbus.
o., talked briefly on The Relation of
Forests 70 Floods and Droughts," indicating
that where forests were moisture was plen-
tifuI. while the reverse was the case where
there were few If any trees. The rest of
the day was taken up with the discussion
of Melon Culture" by John *. Mcmillan.
of Bridgeport; Limitations I'm Grating" bv
d. IS. Miller, of PimentO. and "Cnderdrain-
age for Orchards by j. j. W. BILLINGS
ley. Of indianapolis.
Last evening Joseph A. Burton read the
report OF the committee on experimental
orchards. The report advised the society to
establish orchards in the apple belt, where
conditions would be favorable for the bring
ing out of new varieties and the retaining
of the full strength OF the old ones, which
is not now possible in the present expert
mental orchards because OF unfavorable
location.
Prof. John Craig. of the Iowa Agricultural
College OF Ames. Ia, talked briefly on ex-
| perimental horticulture, advising that steps
be taken by the board TO locate experiment.
al stations wherever possible.