The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-31
FORESTRY ARITHMETIC"
Pamphlet Issued by State Forester
a. s. HaWes

n Ntiy DdIlBliltt hoo
been issued by the Vermont state for
ester, A. f. Halves, entitled, "A For
estry Arithmetic" to be used in the
Vermont schools, but it has much
that is of value to all.
1t contains many exercises in ar.th
metic that deal with the state fores-
try department and that treat of lum-
Der. The exercises are in addition
satisfaction, multiplication, division,
fractions, decimals, percentage, sim
pie interest and compound interest.
In all the cases the figuring has to
do with timber showing how much
was cut in the state last year, how
many board feet to log, and other
things that all Vermont schoolboys
should know.
1t also gives many definitions and
fules, and states the number of
square miles of the state forests that
states own.
The pamphlet is divided into two
parts, the second part containing the
results of many experiments that
have to do with the forest question.
1t states that forestry is subject
that cannot be studied out of book
or in a laboratory satisfactorily.
The instructor should take the stu
dents on field excursions or assign
definite periods for outdoor work. It
also states that the purpose of the
book is to start the students to think
ing along forestry lines.
1t continues: 1T is not enough in
our nature studies to create a love
for the forests. That is Unborn with
every child, but when he becomes a
land owner he is forced by the strug-
gle for existence to treat this forest
as an income producer.
1T is therefore important for chill
dren to understand the principles un-
DERIVING forest growth, so that they
will consider the forest as crop to
be harvested and grown again and
not as a mine or quarry to be exploit
ed and abandoned"
The many exercises deal with the
recognition of the different trees and
flowers of the forest and how to pre-
serve them. The pamphlet ends by
stating that the many schools in this
state. especially those of the rural
districts, need identifying and sug.
gests one manner of doing so and the
writer says:
1T is one of the regrettable facts
of the school system that the school
children so generally dislike school.
and, even in after years, do not look
back with pleasure to their school
days
This is undoubtedly due to many
factors, but among them may be men
toned the general ugliness of the
school and lis surroundings. A very
little outlay of time and money ON
the part of the teacher or the school
directors would so far TO overcome
these conditions.
\ few trees and clumps of shrub
berry well placed will relieve the mon
o.ony Of the school yard. Such plant
ing, carried with appropriate re-
marks. may be the means of interest
ing the children in the general sub.
ject OF tree planting, either for deco
rative or forestry purposes.
These so planted in exposed situa-
tons should be protected by stakes
or wire screens.
Good specimens OF many native
trees can be secured from the woods
nearby, but in order to encourage
this work the state forester will here
after provide sets of seedlings for
this purpose.
Tree roots. especially those of ev-
ergreens. are very delicate and
should never be exposed to the sun or
wind for more than a minute When
trees are dug from the woods, care
should be taken not to break the
roots.
These should be carefully covered
with wet sacking o. something sim
liar. II the trees are SO collected or
purchased before the desired time Of
planting they may be kept safely for
some time by "heeling in" that is
placing their roots in a trench ald
covering with soil. This trench should
prefe ably be dug in a shady place.
Deciduous trees, which are trees
that shed their leaves annually,
should be transplanted early in the
spring, or in the autumn after the
leaves have fallen. Everg cen trees
should also not be transplanted while
they are growing. which is usually
from about MAY Is TO September /.