Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-11-05
OUR GOVERNORS AND FORESTRY

III accordance with the strong
recommendation Of Governor Proctor
In his last message n bill has been
presented the House to promote fores-
try work in the State The endorse
ment Of this movement by him alone
would be sufficient to insure 1t the
earnest attention OF any Of our people
who had not already reached personal
conclusions as to tho inportance n,
forestry TO Vermont This argument
gains In strength when we look back
and note that Governor Proctor Is not
the first Of our chief executives who
has felt called upon to urge some
such otep. Gov. Woodbury. In his
message in 1894 said: Tho owners
OF timber lands in our state are pur-
suing a ruinous. policy in the method
used In harvesting their timber.
mere is no more valuable crop pro-
duced from land than timber" and
he concluded that by wise forestry
management good crop can be cut
every fifteen years. It is OF great I'm
portance to the owners Of timber land
as we'll as to the State as a. whole that
some measure DO adopted to lessen the
wanton destruction Of our forests"
Governor Mccullough. four years
ago. felt called upon to make even
more specific Recommendations. as
shown by the following extract from
his retiring message:
vermont Is n natural park. II is
capable OF infinite Improvement.
Ono method would be to
form State organization for solving
the forestry problem In Vermont toll
lowing tho example OF European
countries. and experimenting the
work OF the United States brueau OF
forestry. Let a commission be ap-
pointed by the Governor Of three or
Ave eminent gentlemen who are deep
~ interested In this subject and who
would serve without compensation.
and whose duty It should be to ADOPT
comprehensive forestry policy for
the State, and plan for the protection
and replantinS of the forests, for the
study OF their quality and compost
tion. the condition necessary for sue
cessful reproduction OF tho most valu-
able trees. the prevention Of forest
Ares. the relation OF tho growth OF
forests to humidity and the rainfall,
and to designate ethods by which
| numbering operations may be best
carried n ba To-
over in n condition which will more
readily admit OF forest reproduction.
Il Tho aim OF the commits
sion should be- both ultilitarian and
aesthetic. According to
the census the forest product OF YER
| mont was. In 1899. second in value
the hay and forage crop. only exceed
| ing II. This timber crop should con-
| tinue to be ono OF Vermont's most
valuable assets. Tho existing timber
| lands should be so utilized as to Sc
cure not only present profit, but insure
development and continuance. OF the
| land In Vermont included in farms,
moro than one-half Is unimproved,
The waste and abandoned tracts OF
the state should be planted and
planted intelligently with such varie-
ties or trees as viii be most profitable
to our children. as well as enhancing
the wealth and beauty OF tho State"
The recommendations OF Govern or
Mccullough are almost exactly In limo
with the bill now before the Legisla-
ture and 1t is 20 be hoped the argu-
ments advanced by tho different pro-
gressive executives named may pro-
vail with equally progressive MEM
bers " the present Legislature.