The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-13
FORESTRY THE THEME.
State Association Holds Its Annual
Meeting.


The twenty-second annual meeting oP tho
Minnesota State Forestry association com
mehced yesterday in the room of the county
eo CON at the court house and city
gentlemen prominent in the promotion of
forestry, and number of interesting papers
were read, which commanded the close at
tention of the audience.
The morning session opened with q fau, RI
marks from President S. NJ. Owen, who di-
lated at length upon the great work being
accomplished by the association
The report of Secretary ]. o. Barrett was
read by his son, Henry Barrett, owing to
Inc In unaVoldable absence of the secretary
1t dealt with the accomplishments of the
association during the past year An a.
ISOLATION press bureau is now In successful
operation, and the secretary stated that the
assoAa tlon mad supplied trees to school chill
dren ArbCr day.
-. 5. Harris, prominent hortculturist
from La Crescent, read i paper in which he
laid special stress upon the dependence of
horticulture on forestry. He stated that
with proper forest protection fruit trees
could be grown successfully in the state of
H. B. Ayres, of Carlton, touched upon the
subject of the influence of forests as re-
CARDS rainfall, and stated some interesting
observations upon the late floods in the Cas-
Gen. c. C. Andrews spoke on value of
Our Forests OF the benefit of tree cult
There are few great truths in forestry
that every one should know One of these
is that trees will grow on soil that is too
poor for field crops. Forest continually en-
years for timber crop, yet capital properly
invested in forest plantations will generally
be found to earn an annual net revenue of
about per cent compound interest The
forest AFFORDS great market for labor in
winter months. The forest yields many in
direct benefits. At the sources of rivers II
is a reservoir of moisture maintaining water
flow. AS a break against cold and dry
winds 1t ameliorates local climate. 1t lends
t beauty to scenery cen The white pine-ldng of
a native of North America, and fourishes
especially we'll in Minnesota. 1t does not
grow IN tropical countries, but seems to need
cold winters. Our Minnesota forests of TO-
0O0tO0 acres are especially rich in valuable
timber trees. The forest is one of our
grandest natural resources and hence it is
that our people ought to understand the
principles of forestry and insist upon the
proper development of our natural forest
wealth.
Our best white pines have been growing
from 100 to 200 years; and although mer-
charitable pine, but not of the best quality
may be grown In 60 years, there are but
crop; and if anything important is to be
done to renew and perpetuate our fores-
wealth, it must be done by the state Il is
seeding, but where land has been entirely
cleared, forest of pine and spruce can be
renewed only by artificial planting or seeding
Ihere are IN Minnesota several million acres
of waste land unfit for agriculture and now
Totally useless, but which might be made TO
yield rich revenue to the state If planted
with forest.
The state of Minnesota holds about 2Socoo
acres of land which was forfeited for non
OF IN no use to any, one. Probably there are
5000 C0 acres of land in the state. in scat
tered acres, that is unfit for agriculture and
upon which, in its present situation, no taxes
Will ever be paid. Much of IT is now held
by tho general government which, no doubt,
would relnquish it's title to- it to our state
n m
tematic manner for forestry. The most OF
1t, without doubt, will produce white pine
or some sort of profitable timber it is
utterly out Of the question for indivi suals
to plant this waste land with forest; but
the state can do so, and if 1t would what
a magnificent patrimony it would posss S.
plant even 1,C00C00 acres with forest but
when planted the capital of labor and ma
crease at the rate of about per cent COM
pound interest per annum, and the 1000 90
acres of land at the end of so years, might
be expected to reach the stupend9us value
Dwell, | a.m afraid to say how much. You
would think the sum incredible. But we
could safely assume that the regular net
annual revenue from the capital, after 60
years. would amount continuously to over
81 eco 0C0 at least. Fifty years ago who would
have believed that the proceeds CT our state
school lands would now amount to TIE TT me-
ly sum of Sl2 coo 000 yet such is the splerdii
fact. The little buchy of Baden, not as large
as Pine county in this state. derives a net
acres of public forest. The kingdom OF
Wurtemberg, only very little larger than
county of st. Louis derives a net an
nual revenue Of s1,7C0,0c0 from its ASO00
acres of public forest.
Other addresses were delivered as follows:
Evolution of Forest School," Prof. S.
Green, St. Anthony Park; Practical For
estry, Thomas J. Davis. Duluth Forestry
for Game, Animals and Birds W. P Warn
er, St. Paul, and Frank H. Carleton, Mn
neapolis.
Letters were also read from prominent foc-
esters IN various parts of the country.
Capt. ]. n. Cross discussed union of for
estry forces In The state OF Minnesota, Wis
consin and Michigan, to procure from con
gross donations of land to be appropriated
to forest reserves in the states. He claimed
that tree raising was much more profitable
than agriculture, and he advocated cooper
ative forest management The following Of
fcers were elected. and the meeting ad-
journed:
President S. NJ. Owen Minneapolis; sec
rotary, o. Barrett; treasurer, r. P. Mcintosh
Vice Presidents-One for each congression9,
i-strict-First, William Somerville: Second