Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-11-20
FORESTRY MEETING
Large and thoroughly interested
Audience Listened to
Dr. VIII
LAST FRIDAY EVENING
The Subject OF Forestry is Rapidly
Absorbing Public Interest
Prof. Roth Here.

The people OF Alma had the privilege
of hearing Dr. Thos E. viii, of Wash
ington. D. c. lecture on the subject of
Forestry at the Presbyterian church
last Friday evening DR.. Will is sec
retary Of the American Forestry Asso-
ciaiton and editor OF Forestry and
Irrigation the publication of the
association The importance of this
organization will he realized when it
is known that such men as Hon.
James Wilson, DR. Edward Everett
Hale. Mr.. James W. Pinchot and many
others are among its officers and
members The large audience that
greeted Dr. viii shows the enthusi-
asm that is taxes in this place of the
problem of saving the forests. While
the intense interest with which he
held his audience testify to DR.. Wits
great ability as public speaker and
advocate of the cause.
DR.. Will was introduced TO his au-
dience by Prof Filibert Roth of the
L. OF NJ, whom the people of Alma
were again glad to welcome into their
midst, and who they will remember
addressed the Michigan Forestry Assn
at this place in Jan. 1906 on the sub
ject what is the Farmers Interest
in Forestry
Ia mis- introductory remarks Prof.
Roth gave a brief history Of the organ
ization of the American Forstry Ass II
and OF the work it is doing 1t was
only organized twenty-five years ago
at meeting of prominent men in Gin
cinnati. The movement was later
completed in Montreal by lumber
men who wanted to save the forests,
At first the growth of the organization
was slow because popular opinion de-
cided that the members of the associa-
tion were only new species of mani
ace making trouble" for "our timber
supplies are inexhaustible. However
before the five years had passed New
York was persuaded TO buy all of the
Adirondacks on which il could lay its
bonds; and in ten years the president
was setting aside forest reserves. All
this was accomplished by concentrated
efforts TO bring the matter before con-
gress
Dr. Wills lecture was general in
scope dealing with the Forest problem
in the United States, the evils with
which the forests is constantly con-
fronted and the remedies that are pro-
posed TO Offset the destructive forces at
work. The lecture was fully ill STRAIT
the by first class steroptican slides of
the places and conditions described.
Dr. Will has travelled all over the L.
s. and could. thus give his information
first hand which made it the more i'm
pressive. DR.. Will spoke of the past
an present of the great hard wood dis
tricts of the U. S. lie. Mich. Ohio,
the Appalachian system and the Ale
ghane's. These places have been rob
led of their trees by careless men who
had no thought for the future. Vivid
pictures of conditions in the mountains
that were once rich i'm forests buf are
now..barren wastes were presented and
the effects upon civilization of this
wholesale destruction were enumerated
But man while one of the greatest
enemies of the forest is not the only
one. An illustration was given of an
entire mountain forest that was COM
pletely ruined by Insects while graz
ing and fire also work great havoc.
The forest fires of 1871 alone destroyed
more wealth than the great Chicago
hre. But despite these latter enemies
and the limited supply of timber man
still persists I'm working his Will at
whatever cost where no restrictions
are yet in force. There is greater de-
mand today for wood and timber than
ever before A concrete example of
this was give by the illustration that
in one year we use enough lumber 70
floor the state of Delaware: enough
shingles 10 shingle the District of Co
lumbis. enough wood TO make pile
one-half mile high half mile wide
and half mile long enough railroad
ties TO make railroad around the
world. At this rate less than quarter
of a century will work the complete
depletion of our forests unless measures
are taken to reforest the timber lands.
To carry out this great work and put
tue remaining timber lands under
systematic control is the problem of the
American Forestry association and al
though il has had wonderful success
yet II needs the cooperation of the
whole country.
The enthusiasm that was taken in
this lecture is shown by the following
resolutions that.were adopted
1t is the sense of the Gratiot Co
committee of the Mich. Forestry ASS
and friends Of Forestry in Alma that;
(i) The forest resources Of the