Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-22
TIMBER AN IMPORTANT CROP
Yale Man Places It on Par with
Farming Crops.
vermont should Have n state Forest
In Each County Declares speaker
at Annual Meeting OF Forestry
Association.

meeting at the roof garden of Hotel Yer
mont was devoted to the election of Off
GERS and other business. The evenin.
meeting. held at Morrill, hall, was fairl,
well attended In spite Of such obstacle
as snow-covered sidewalks. absent stree
lights and paralyzed trolley cars.
FL SINESS MEETING IN AFrERNOO>
y couple of hours of hard work were pu
in by the members of the association il
the afternoon at the business meeting
The former president. ex-Gov. +. II. Proc
tor. has died since the last meeting an,
Nice-President A. NJ. Fletcher presided.
The first business was the election o
Officers and committee consisting of O
j.. Martin and \. f. Halves was appoint
ed to draw UP a list The following Off
GERS were nominated and elected by ac
clamation: President. A. NJ. Fletcher %
tavcndish: vice presidents. Charles Dow
Nor Of Sharon and w. j. Van Patten OF
burlington; secretary and treasurer
Craig Burt of Stowe: executive commit.
tee, j. A. Dei3oer of Montpelier. G.. c
Fits of Brattleboro. A. +. Halves of Bur.
lngton, o. l.. Martin of Plaintield and
Charles Green.
Following the election of officers
state Forester A. +. Halves spoke of
the losses sustained by the association
through death and removal from the
state. and said that some means
should be taken to increase the mem :
hcrship. He thought one of the best
courses to pursue would be to estab-
lish local branches of the society. In
number of towns much interest has
appeared. as shown by the fact that
over 200 people have purchased trees
during the year past and this interest
can be stimulated by the establishment
of local forestry clubs. iie recommended
that the dues of the State association
he cut TO 30 cents so that the other
half could go to the support of the
local organizations and that wherever
the local clubs seemed worthy they
lie taken in to the association and
provided with literature and given the
other benefits. He quoted instances
where such n club had proven of much
benefit. and upon the motion of c. w
Brownell it was voted 10 change the
bylaws so that such "A course could
be pursued.
Mr.. Fletcher next spoke upon the
need of legislation for the association
and said that he considered forestry
a part of agriculture. He thought
that Vermont should put aside a sum
each year. perhaps $4,000. for the
use Of the department in either fight
ing pests such as had appeared at
times or to he used for the purchase
of timber lands If deemed advisable.
Ma oh, -;
PEELED to appropriate sum equal to
one-half the combined appropriations
made by Vermont for It's total running
expenses. and this would not have been
necessary had the course been adopted
of squelching the trouble at the out
set Vermont can not afford to get
into any such predcament.
1t was voted to authorize the chair
man to appoint such a committee but
Mr.. Fletcher did not make the names
public yesterday afternoon. Before
adjournment a resolutions commit ae
consisting of o. L. Martin. A. F. HAYES
and J. l.. Southwick, was appointed.
The evening meeting was called to
order by President Fletcher. Mr..
outlined the purposes OF the
'sS'' ia'i'i anu itS NoTk Inc follow
ing resolutions were adopted
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Resolved. that the Forestry Asso-
citation OF Vermont has suffered in
common with all other forward move
ments of the State a severe loss in the
death of Fletcher d, Proctor Cover
nor Proctor was one of the original
Of fl,a
largely through his activity that so
much has been accomplished for the
advancement Of the forest interests OF
the state. At the time of his death
he was president OF this association.
and had demonstrated his faith in for
estry work. not only by public exer-
ton, but by private practice on the
lands of the Vermont Marble COM
pany.
Resolved, that this association again
declares itself in favor of the policy
Of acquisition by the State of forest
tracts to be managed under the State
forester for demonstration and educa-
tional purposes. This association be-
lieNes that an annual investment by
the State of definite sum of money
In the purchase of lands. would prove
n good business policy for the State.
as has been demonstrated by the pur-
chase OF the l.. r. Jones forest in
Plainfield.
"Resolved. that inasmuch as our
State is in serious danger of tho in
roads of such injurious insects az the
gypsy and brown tail moth. that the
General Assembly should make amnlo
provision against their arrival so that
they may be exterminated at once We
believe that only in this way can tho
state avoid tremendous expense later;
ana untold damage from the insects"
The first OF the speakers of the even
Ing was A. +. Halves, State forester
who spoke on the taxation question a.
II affects forestry and made espociaI
reference TO the proposed forest tax.
alton law of Wisconsin, Mr.. Hawes's
address was In part as follows.
TIE PROPOSED FOREST TAXATION
LAW OF WISCONSIN.
In all our States timber Is taxed under
the general property tax system, that f.
lana or standing timber Is assessed each
year and taxed as real property Since the
timber Is harvested only after n consider.
apie period of years the accumulated tax
Is apt 10 amount to II large promotion
OF the final value of the crop. The
tendency now Is to assess forest property
al more nearly its real value which, OF
course, makes the burden of taxation
heavier commission appointed In
Wisconsin recently reported that they
round that the heaviest burden of taxa
toh came upon cut-over land, that such
lhhds are often assessed from one 10
eisht times their actual value; while farm
lands and timber lands are generally
tsapsse1 fran, IN % mar cent NJ