The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-11-17
- FORESTkY MEETING.

ceived very able and interesting |
handling by the experts who spoke on |
certain phases of the subject.
George Aitkin, Representative from
Woodstock, and secretary of the State |
board of agriculture, introduced W. J. |
Van Patten of Burlington, president |
of the state society Of forestry, who |
presided.
Mr.. Van Patten said that the inter
ests of the forests of Vermont are
identical with the general interests
of the State, because three fourths Of
the area of the State is covered with
forest. Anything that benefits the
forest bepefits tbree-fourths of the
State. Two of the elements that enter
into the question of forest preserva-
tino are those of beauty and CONNER
cial value. The aesthetic element is
important, but in Vermont we could not
afford to sacrifice three-fourths of our
area to mere beauty. The forests
must be made productive and one of
the greatest assets of the State.
How to get succession of crops'
from the forests is the greatest ques-
ton in this State. The problem in
Vermont is different from that in
other sections of county from the fact
that probably nowhere else in the
world does the natural reforesting of
the land go on more rapidly. The
greatest enemy to the forests here is
fire. The first legislation that the So
ciety asks, in the bill now pending
in the Legislature, is not radical 1t
is aimed to prevent largely, the forest
fires ana will, if passed, succeed. This
bill is but the first step in the way
toward forest preservation, by the So
ciety; as it grows older and wiser it
will ask such legislation as its expert
ence may find is wise.
Mr. Van Patten introduced Prof.
Ayers, head of the organized for
estry work in New Hampshire, who
| spoke on the work of predicting and
caring tor white pine and spruce.
BY means of steroopticon views the
speaker showed what has been accom-
plished in New Hampshire in the line
of forest cultivation, by intelligent
application of the knowledge gained of
the method of natural seeding of the
white pine, and by raising the trees
in nurseries and transplanting them.
Views of the grand virgin forest were
presented, followed by pictures show
ing the same spots made barren by the
wanton and wasteful methods of the
lumberman who cuts everything in
cially useless growth strewn On the
ground to furnish the best food for
fire. These contrasting views told
their story. But the terse. apt words
of the speaker clinched the argument
conveyed by the eyes.
The white pine seeds only once in
from five to seven years, the speaker
said, and by cutting the timber during
the seed year and by l,avIng few
seed trees "a natural succession may be
obtained Four trees have seeded ter
acres. Prof. Ayers showed views OF
the nurseries both of New Hampshire
and New York and told of the work
of purchasing and reforesting State
reservations that is going on in other
States. He ADVOCATED a careful prun
ing and intelligent thinning of the
trees showed that nature protects
with adequate shade the young pines
and spruces He treated tire question
of growing spruoes The speaker
said that if the forests are so managed
that theu give perpetual yield they
will always be beautiful. A sum,
equal to that devoted to restocking
waters with fish, devoted to reforest
ing the hills, Will bring far greater
returns. The New Hampshire asso
citation, by means of advice, nurseries
and general supervision, is seeking t.
solve the problem OF reforesting the
State.
DR. b. Il. Fernow, late director o.
the New York State College of For
estry at Cornell, and for twelve yearl
at the head of the United States For
estry Bureau at Washington, discussed
the fundamentals of forestry. He re
ferred to the report Of our State For
est Commission Of 1882, of which Hon
Redfield Proctor was chairman, al
containing much common sense anr
many good suggestions and yet re
maiuing without any practical re
suits, which, he said, was probabl,
largely due to ignorance OF the funda
mentals. He formulated eight sucl
fundamental propositions.
/, The protective quality Ct fores
cover depends upon locality and i
maiuly confined TO the higher noun
tain regions with steep slopes
2 The tore,t, like oil life, is pre-
served, not hy nun-use but bv regener
atiun-a succession of generations