Thirteenth Annual Meeting.

1894.

The thirteenth annual meeting of the American Forestry Association was held at the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., on the 28th day of December, 1894.

In the absence of the President or any of the Vice-Presidents, Mr. Fernow was appointed chairman. Before the formal business of the Association was entered upon, by a previous arrangement of the Executive Committee, the members of the Association present proceeded to the Executive Mansion to meet the President of the United States and commend to his favorable consideration and helpful action the work of the Association for the preservation of the public forests. The President received the Association with courtesy, listened to their statements with attention, expressed his increasing interest in their work, and promised to give whatever assistance was in his power.

On the return of the Association from the visit to the President, the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the last annual meeting, which were approved. The Corresponding Secretary then read his annual report, which was accepted. On motion, a Committee on Resolutions and Nominations was appointed by the chairman, consisting of Messrs. Keffer, Owen, Moses, French, and Warder. The report of the Executive Committee was then read, accepted, and referred to the Committee on Resolutions and Nominations. A number of persons were proposed for membership, the names being referred to the Executive Committee for final action.

A proposal was offered that the Association should hold a special meeting in California, in connection with the meeting there of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This was favorably referred to the Executive Committee. By request, Prof. Marcus E. Jones, of Utah, made a statement in regard to the forest condition of that State. He reported great destruction of the forests, and said that sheep had injured the grass to a great extent upon the higher grounds; also had prevented the growth of new forests. The farmers of Utah are generally opposed to the sheep industry, as being destructive of the forests. They desire the establishment of Forest Reserves, especially one around Fish Lake.

Mr. Moses spoke in regard to the condition of forestry in New Hampshire. He said that the Forest Commission are endeavoring to increase popular interest in the preservation of the mountain forests, to secure legislation to prevent forest fires, and to induce lumbermen to use a more rational method of carrying on their work. Mr. Gifford spoke of the cause of forestry in South New Jersey. He reported a great destruction of forests by lightning. He said that some progress was being made in forest education through the schools and by the publication of a forestry paper. A Forestry Association has been formed, which has now one hundred members. Mr. Owen said that the mountains of northern New Jersey had been stripped of their original forests. Trees now were largely cut when of the hoop-pole size. The greatest interest now is in regard to the water supply. An effort is being made to establish county parks. He said there is probably more worthless timber land in New Jersey than in any other State.

At the afternoon session the report of the Treasurer was read and referred to Messrs. Gifford and Luebkert as an auditing committee. The Committee on Resolutions and Nominations reported as officers for the ensuing year those now in office, with the following changes: Mr. F. H. Newell as Corresponding Secretary in place of Mr. J. D. W. French, who declined further service as such, and on the Executive Committee Mr. Keffer in place of Dr. J. D. Jones, and Prof. R. B. Warder in place of Mr. Newell, elected Corresponding Secretary.

The Executive Committee were authorized to provide for the expenses of the office of the Corresponding Secretary for the ensuing year. The Committee on Resolutions and Nominations reported for adoption the following resolutions:

Resolved, That The American Forestry Association finds reason for encouragement in the increased interest shown in the forestry question during the past year, and pledges its continued support to every movement tending toward the enlightenment of the people upon this important subject.

Resolved, That we hereby express our gratification at the passage of the McRae bill in the lower House of Congress, and tender our thanks to our associate, the Hon. Thomas C. McRae, for his energetic, well-directed, and successful endeavors in behalf of the principles for which this Association stands.

Resolved, That we urge upon the committee of the Senate, to whom the measure has been referred, to report the same at an early date, with such amendments as may more fully secure the objects of the bill, and we urge upon the whole body of Senators the necessity of passing the same without delay.

Resolved, That we recommend national legislation looking toward the estab

lishment of courses of instruction in forestry in such institutions as are benefited by aid from the public treasury, and the establishment of a National Forestry School in some part of the national domain.

Resolved, That the appalling results of forest fires experienced in many States during the past summer compel the belief that the present statutory protection against forest fires in these States is inadequate or negligently applied. And we appeal, therefore, to these States, in the interest of rational husbandry and in the name of humanity, to enact and enforce such legislation as will prevent the recurrence of such serious loss of life and property.

The resolutions were adopted and referred to the Executive Committee for publication and for distribution to various State officials. The Committee on Resolutions and Nominations reported back for adoption the reports of the Corresponding Secretary and the Executive Committee, and they were adopted. On motion, it was

Resolved, That the Association takes pleasure in expressing its thanks to Mr. J. D. W. French for his earnestness and fidelity in discharging the duties of Corresponding Secretary, and his kindness in giving his services under the disadvantages of his situation and other demands upon his time and attention.

A sketch of a bill for the establishment of a Post Graduate School of Forestry in connection with the Division of Forestry in the Department of Agriculture was offered informally for the consideration of the Association. The subject was discussed briefly with much interest by Messrs. French, Newell, and Ledyard.

The Auditing Committee reported that the account of the Treasurer had been examined and found to be correct. At 5 o'clock the Association adjourned, subject to the call of the Executive Committee. In the evening a joint meeting with the National Geographic Society was held, to listen to an address by Prof. N. S. Shaler, of Harvard University, upon the Economic Aspects of Erosion.

N. H. EGLESTON,
Secretary.

Special Meeting at Springfield, Mass.

1895.

The Association held its summer meeting for 1895 at Springfield, Massachusetts, on September 4th and 5th, in connection with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The President of this Association, the Hon. J. Sterling Morton, Secretary of Agriculture, was prevented by official business from attending, but sent his regards, together with expressions of deep interest in the objects of the meeting.

Capt. Francis H. Appleton, Vice-President for Massachusetts, presided and opened the session by a brief address detailing the condition of forestry in Massachusetts and referring to the action of the State Board of Agriculture through its Forestry Division. The first business was the appointment of Messrs. Fernow, Higley, Moses, Walker, and Appleton as a Committee on Resolutions to report at the end of the session. The Hon. G. F. Talbot, of Maine, made an address in which he advocated that all worthless lands forfeited by tax sales be permanently held by the State and devoted to the purpose of the production of trees, such lands being admirably adapted to this end. He spoke of the fire laws of Maine and stated that the adverse interests of forest owners was the great obstacle to any reform in the direction of proper control. Under a sharp competition the land was stripped of everything salable and the refuse left where it happened to fall, thus ultimately becoming, through its inflammability, a menace to all neighboring property.

Mr. George H. Moses, Secretary of the New Hampshire Forestry Commission, reviewed the history of legislative attempts to provide suitable protection to the forests, and spoke of the creation of the present Commission, organized to investigate the extent and character of the forest cover, the removal of lumber, the annual receipts, and the general relations of forests to climate, water, and health. The commissioners are empowered simply to investigate, but much of their energy has been given to attempts to convince the lumbermen that it is for their personal interests as well as that of the State to introduce less wasteful and destructive methods. They are also striving to preserve some of the natural beauties of the White Moun

tain region, as the summer resorts, if destroyed or injured, will cause great annual loss to the State.

Hon. Joseph B. Walker, of Concord, New Hampshire, followed with a description of the present condition of the forests, especially those in the northern portion of the State. Here large areas are owned by individuals whose sole object is to make the most money in the shortest period, and who have no interest in obtaining a future crop of trees. Everything is cut that can be sold, either for lumber or matches. Vast sections are denuded one after the other, the fires in the "slasings " sweeping the ground clean after the lumbermen have left. There is a beginning, mainly from the sentimental side, to make an attempt to prevent this great destruction, and the fire laws have been so improved that the selectmen or county commissioners are required to appoint fire wardens, whose duties include the watching for fires and the summoning of aid to prevent their spread. No penalty for failure is provided, but popular sentiment is being aroused to such an extent as to render the law generally effective. The farmer is beginning to appreciate the necessity of the forests, as these, if properly managed, will furnish him opportunity for labor during the winter months. At present he labors seven months of the year, and from his farm alone cannot derive revenue for the remaining five months.

Rev. Julius H. Ward, of the editorial staff of the Boston Herald, read a paper on the present situation in the White Mountains. He noted the increased regard being expressed by lumbermen for the young trees which ultimately should become valuable for lumber. He described the ordinary operations, and stated that the companies now at work in the White Mountains expected to cut everything before them, not leaving a stick of any value.

Mr. Charles Eliot, of the firm of Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, of Brookline, Mass., read a paper on the new public forests near Boston, illustrating this by maps of the locations of these forests and described their general characteristics. The most important of these public reservations is the Blue Hills area, consisting mainly of rugged hills and swamps. Next in importance are the Middlesex Falls, and besides these are numerous smaller localities notable for the beauty of their scenery. The chief enemy to these is fire, and, to guard against this, the larger reservations are blocked out into fire districts, and watchmen employed to patrol the grounds.

Mr. E. H. Forbush, Director of Field Work of the Gypsy Moth Department of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, spoke of