The San Francisco call., 1899-07-20
TO PRESERVE THE
AMERICAN TREE
Forestry Commission in
Session.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LOS ANGELES, July 19.-The seven
teenth annual convention of the Ameri-
can Forestry Association opened in this
city at o'clock tonight. Secretary of
Agriculture James Wilson. who is presi-
dent of the association, has been un-
avoidably detained. In his absence Alb
bott Kinney, the vice president for Cali
foEnia, called the convention to order
and delivered the address of welcome on
behalf of the State and city Governor
Gage, ex-senator White and Congress
man Waters were to have delivered ad-
dresses of welcome, but letters of regret
from these gentlemen were read.
Three addresses were delivered that
covered the wide range of forestry, the
preservation of forests, the remedy
against fires and the question of sheep
herding. w. S. Melick said but two
forestry stations were maintained in
California. Governor Budd had vetoed
the appropriation bill that provided
funds to sustain them and they were
kept alive now in a desultory manner.
The forest fires are the greatest
menace" declared the speaker, and
the object of this convention should be
to demand national legislation that
would afford relief. The State should
;
be punished and the meritorious re-
warded. We should plant trees and
take care of them and study methods
for preservation"
The principal lecture was delivered
by Clifford Pinchot, United States For
ester, upon Forestry" The speaker
illustrated his theme with two scores of
notable slides.
California takes more interest in its
forests than any other State in the
Union except New York" declared Pin
chot, and it is the duty of CalifornianS
to preserve this reputation. California
can formulate a policy, but 1t should
also define one. 1t is stated that in
California not one in a hundred timber
claims is planted according to law. Yet
the Forestry Commission is willing to
send expects to aid the planter of tim
Der. Over 400 forest fires have oc-
CURED during the present century, and
these are traceable to the Indians in
most cases While forest fires are our
greatest menace, the sheep herder is
the greatest enemy to forest growth
Sheep should be graZed only where tim
berS are not expected to be reproduced" ="
J. B. Lippincott of the United States
Geological Survey delivered lecture on
THE Bitter Root River Forest Reser-
vation," and by views showed how the
forests were denuded.
Three sessions will be held to-mor-
row. AS the Government scientists pro-
nounce the plan of water storage feas-
ible to reclaim arid lands, memorials
will be introduced praying for national
aid to irrigation and storage reservoirs.
To carry out the plans of the committee
it is probable an active committee will
be appointed to go to Washington and
lay before Congress the need for the
appropriation of necessary funds.
The delegates present. include Lucius
A. Booth. Oakland; w. w. Everett and
George H. Maxwell, San Francisco; C.
l.. Corey and Charles H. Shinn, Berke-
ley; Professor NJ. II. Buckham, presi-
dent of Vermont University; Professor
w. h Wiley, chief chemist of the De-
partment of Agriculture: Edward
Mead, United States Irrigation Com
mission; c. A Keffer, S. B. Green. A. ].
| McClatchie. F. H. Newell and G. G.
Swisher