Putnam patriot., 1909-10-15
A Field Meeting and Institute.


 vored the Field meeting and Institute held last Friday, under the auspices o the Connecticut Forestry Association at The Larehes, on the Senexet road South Woodstock, nr, Arthur Mathew son proprietor.
 Although it was the busy season fol the farmers. who were hurrying to gel in their fall crops while they had line weather some fifty were present beside . goodiy naunber Of ladies.
 As the guests arrived they were mel and welcomed by Dr. Mathewson, who moved around with the agility of 6 young man Of twenty seeking to make every one feei as if attending picnic And they dld: the balmy weather, the 1 fragrance of the pines and the magniti. cent scenery stretching down the val. ley, dispellsa aii loneliness. and soon the entire company were enjoying q friendly soc1Al time, hardly waiting for introductions.
 The meeting opened about II o'clock, the speakers arriving in automobiles, leaving Putnam after the lo;s0 train from Hartford arrived.
 Prof. H. 6. Graves, Director of ths Forest School, Yale University gave an off.hand talk on 1.-The Handling of Woodlands. nsfsefore formally taking up his subject, PrV. Graves spoke of the great importance of the forestry ques. tion to the well-belnR of the country. He referred to what was being done by the National Government, by the State governments and the State Agricultur. al Colleges to enlighten the country in regard to forestry, and what the peo- pie could do in cooperation to bring about better order of things than has heretofore existed, to conserve the for est areas of,the nation and to deal with greater enlightenment in caring for and culiivating of woodlands and forest areas, large and small.
 These Institutes were for the pnr- pose of instructing the people how to deal withlands not only to maintain . continuous growth of trees but to make their cultivation profitable, and tndi- rectiy benefit the vicinity and entire nation. They held meetings wherever n body of farmers could De brought to- getheE to receive instruction in forestry. IL was mistaken idea of some people that trees should not be cut down at all. They are to be regarded the same As any crop cultivated for mans use, and to be dealt with on the same princi- pies; when ripe or mMured they should be cut down and made into lumber, fire wood or any other purpose, and re- placed by other young trees or sprouts. Whole areas may, at times, be cut down and replanted or the sprouts cul- tivated, if they are of n satisfactory c1aracter.
 Often when wood lot is cleared of h irdwood trees, pines appear, or other kind. The same phenomenon may take place when pines or other soft wood trees are cleared away and hard wool come up to take their place. Seeds of trees of past years have been lying dor l mant in the ground under the existing tions combine, the dormant seed start l into life.
 Attention should be given to the re- moval of all bfushwood or other use less growths near and around trees, as they do better growth with plenty of air and light around their base.
 The speaker gave numerous details 1 in regard to the dealing with wood land to obtain the greatest returns in the cultivation of trees. In regard 10 1 the protection of the forest trees, he said he would leave that phase of the subject to the next speaker.
 Dr. Mathewson then introduced w. 0. Filley, Acting Stale Forester. He began by saying that the most destruc tive agency in sweeping of our forests Is fire, ignited in mnny ways, thought lessly at times, but often to produce confiagrations that swept away the trees from hundreds Of square miles of land. 1t was great problem to solve how to prevent these forest fires, and how best to quench them after once started. The National government is dealing with the problem and has thousands of men guarding the great forests reservations from fire. One of the difficulties to contend with to reach and quench fires is the heavy under growth of brush, which not only hin- ders travel through the w0ods but aids in spreading the flames more rapidly. Just new the work of clearing spaces to pass through the forests raptdiy, is being pushed with energy; and efforts to diminish the iirst starting Of fires is receiving the most careful attention. Good results are following shese efforts.
 The speaker entered into the subject to give special instructions how Co guard the woodlands of New Engiand from fire, but we are unable st this time to give them full report.
 l An hours recess was then taken .fol the "Basket Lunch," during which Dr. Mathewson invited the company to visit "The Pines," adjoining ssThe Larchss't to the north- A dozen oI more followed the steps of the Doctor e he led them through the pine wood' l-a pon.ession. with the ether grounds which has been; owned by the family for more than . hundred yeass. Th<