Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-03-22
VERMONT FORESTRY
Addresses by George Aitken and
Ernest Hitchcock Friday Night.


George Aitkcn. secretary OF the Yer
mont board of agriculture, and Ernest
Hitchcock OF Pittsford, "a member OF the
Vermont Forestry association, were
speakers Friday night at a joint meeting
of the University of Vermont Botanical
and Agricultural clubs. held in the Will
Jams Science hall at tue University.
The theme Of Mr.. titchcock's address
WAS tho forestry problem in the State
of Vermont with reference to the other
work of tho state. He prefaced his adj
dress by stating that he did not wish
10 he understood as Indicating that he did
not regard individual action in this mat
ter as most important. There arc cor
tain things, however, that individuals
can not do OF themselves, and these
thncs. he said must to done by the
state and by a commission like the pres
cnt state forestry commission.
FORREST FIRES.
Tnc first and greatest obstacle"
with which tho forester has 10 contend.
said Mr.. Hitchcock. is fire 10 Guard
against this enemy of the forests. he
said. was tho chief aim Of the Inv pass
cd at the last session OF the state Iegis-
laturc This law seems to have worked
well during the past wear. as shown by
tho decreased eNtort Of forest fires Of tho
year. Mr.. Hitchcock was of tho opinion,
however, that at least one amendment
should be made to this law, which would
widen its scope of protection: namely,
an amendment to prevent forest fires
started by sparks from locomotives. The
speaker emphasized the need of such an
amendment by pointing out that prac-
tcally all OF the damage done in YER
mont last summer Ivy forest fires was
caused by fires started in this way.
LACK OF FORESTRY KNOWLEDGE.
| Another thing the state should pro-
| vide for at once. said Mr.. Hitchcock,
| is to provide means by which we can
ascertain the actual forestry condi-
| lions of tho state. He reviewed the
extent to which the state forestry
conditions are really known, and said
We are in a state Of lamentablc iguor-
ance in this point
Tho speaker also expressed the hope
| that tho state would aid the expert
/ mcnt station in starting a forestry
| nursery so that would-be planters
could secure material of good quality
at cost 1t is now difficult TO secure
| such seedlings. Tho opinion was also
expressed that Vermont would some
| time follow her sister States in be
! ginning demonstration of waste land.
THE FARMERS WOOD LOT.
Mr.. Athens address dealt with the
care of tho farmers wood lot. BY fig
| ures he showed the results of expert
men,s in forestry made on Billings
| farm. Woodstock. On this farm Mr..
Aitken undertook to change the condi-
tions Of the growth. which was of
tree weeds. to valuable timber growth.
| Experiments were made in the dis
tances OF planting the European larch
on waste washed hillside. At the end
OF three years, those planted from
| eight 10 IL feet apart had grown As
| feet high and 10 inches in diameter:
those six feet apart, to so feet hief,
and six inches in diameter; and those
two feet apart to IS feet in height
and one inch in diameter.
BEsT TREE PLANTING METHOD.
! From these experiments Mr. Aitkcn be-
lieves that the best method Of PLANTING
| trees for culture in Vermont is as fol-
lows:
PLANT them eight feet apart and plant
| half way between them locusts, taking
| these latter out to implant posts when
fit"
Mr. Aitken also believes that spruce
should he planted closer together than
pines Experiments with the Norway and
native spruce tree growth show that the
Norway spruce in ten years is five inches
in diameter, while the native spruce in
the same length of time grows only four
inches in diameter AT ,he Billings farm.
therefore, Mr., Aitkcn is planting oil Nor
Wav SnIlIcoe