The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-25

stands on agricultural soil, by creating
so on
Where the forest is cut on absolute for
est soil unfit for any production other than
trees, the rule Is adhered to: mo feelings
without definite aim at reforestation by
natures own means
Obviously, the proper gaging of the in
vestments2 made in forestry requires a
long number Of years. Another five years
will elapse before the Investments made
at Bitmore have reached a figure and an
equilibrium at which a steady surplus
revenue can be continuously obtained
from the forest. The revenue derivable
is expected to thereafter increase from year
to year, with the waning of the American
virgin forest and the coinciding increase
of timber prices.
Artificial planting is not resorted to at
Biltmore excepting, however, the case of
some 1000 acres of abandoned fields lying
In close proximity to town and afforested
by planting pine, locust, cherry, walnut
etc.
The forest is thoroly protected from fire
with the help of some seventy farm ten
ants living inside the tract, by a network
Of roads and trails-altogether over 1000
mles-acting as fire lanes, by the inter-
spersion of strips of farm land along the
| water courses, and of strips of forest pas
| lures along the mountain tops.
This closed the morning session.
The Afternoon Session.
Edwin A. Wildey Of the Michigan for
estry commission gave an account of their
work as the first number on the program
| this afternoon. His statement was in
brief as follows: ~.
The present Michigan forestry commits
sion Is the second one in the history OF
| the forestry movement in Michigan. It is
comprised of Charles W. Garfield of Grand
Rapids, Arthur Hill Of Saginaw and Ed
win A. Wildey Of Paw-Paw.
| The last session Of the legislature made
| an annual appropriation of $500, this in
addition to the one of $4,000 already I'M
| der control Of the commission. The legis-
| lature also established forest reserve
in Roscommon and Crawford counties.
These counties contain the head waters
of four different river systems, flowing
| in every direction into the great lakes,
and they also contain two of the largest
| lakes in the lower peninsula.
The commission have $4,000 acres Of the
/ land. These lands have all been stripped
of the timber and are now being examined
with a view to reforesting. This pre-
liminary work is under the direction of
Professor Roth of the University of Mich
igan, who will have entire charge of the
plans that are to be inaugurated here
after,
The commission has power given them
to purchase and to sell any lands within
| their tracts, which they may deem nee
essary and has further power to sell any
timber that may be standing or sell to
private parties, with power to cut and re-
move. There are two forest schools now
established in Michigan, one at Ann Ar
Dor and the other at the agricultural col
lege in Lansing.
Forestry in Gag" Colleges.
S. B. Green, professor of horticulture
and forestry in the University of Mime
sofa, discussed the subject of Forestry
Education in Agricultural Colleges" He
said in part:
1T seems to me that it is the duty Of
our agricultural colleges to teach forestry
for they are better fitted to do so than
any other class of educational institu-
4 lions and can add it to their curriculum
with less expense. Not only should they
/ aim to give their students a. genera
knowledge of this subject, but they should
offer enough special training in it to make
good practical foresters.
'These colleges now aim to train mer
to see the possibilities of rural life, anC
the forester needs much the same train.
ing, for he will probably spend his life
in rural communities, where he will BIZ
thrown largely on his own resources il
dealing with a thousand natural prob
perhaps. of a forest that contains a con.
siderable amount of farm or pasture
lands, and he should understand the bes
method Of developing it. He may hav.
problems in feeding range cattle and sheer
and perhaps In finishing them in order t.
get the best returns from his land; anc
he, will be the best forester who is mos
versatile in such matters and able to turf
his attention effectively from one thing
to another. This can only be done t.
the best advantage by the broadly trained
man."
Taxation and Private Forestry.
| Ernest Bruncken, late of the Wiscon
sin forestry commission, in his paper OF
Taxation and Private Forestry" con
tended that the prevailing practice Of tax
ing all merchantable timber annually, re
CARELESS of whether it was to be harveste,
during the current year or not, was
premium on cutting timber which, tn
merchantable, had not yet reached it
highest value. The loss fell far NOR
on the community than on the owner.
AS possible remedies were suggested
First, Exemption of timber while taxing
the land on its agricultural value. Thi
3 was dismissed as impracticable Second
f Taxing Of the land at it's agriculture
. value, exemption Of the timber from tn
3 property tax, but the exaction Of a ia:
} on the gross income derived by the owne
5 from the sale Of the timber. This wa
declared a fair and feasible solution O
r the problem. But the speaker propose,
? a scheme by which he hoped to solve bot
2 the taxation difficulty and offer an In
ducement to woodland owners to rnanag
, their woodlands according to forestr,
l methods. He would permit owners O
timber land to register with the stat
forestry department and agree to manag
| them according to working plans adopte,
with the assistance Of the department. an,
under its supervision. In return, the Ian,
would be assessed by the department in
stead of the local assessors, at what
would be worth for permanent forest In
stead of AGRICULTURAL land, while the tim