In this investigation he may perchance be brought face to face with the question-so long an ogre to the grangers-what percentage of his income the " 'middle "" man may reasonably sweat out of his produce "en passant," and whether, as the electric current waits not in its passage, so produce may ter judge Nor can he, even yet, drop quietly down upon the milennial couch of rose leaves, till, after inuring his olfactories to the mal-odors of the political arena, and acquiring a mastery of the system of ruts governmental, he shall be able to impress upon the mind of the public, and, through it, upon the legislative mind, the fact that, as horticulture is older than agriculture, of the practice of which it is rather a dilution than an improvement, the most direct and effective method by which to improve and elevate the latter must surely be to place the leading ideas and the highest practice in horticulture in the forefront, as a sublimation or intensification of the best, most productive and profitable possible practice in agriculture, needing mere amplification to adapt it to practice on a broader scale. Having studied these, and multitudes of other ruts and combinations of ruts, and settled, to his own satisfaction, how far it may prove pleasant or profitable to follow their guidance, and having also assured himself of the probable consequences of following them too implicitly, it may be supposed that this graduated student of ruts will find himself at full liberty to settle quietly down to the life work of growing the best possible crops of vegetables, fruits and flowers, and of "paddling his own canoe," generally. Bless you! nothing of the kind! He has become too conspicuous a mark for newspaper pellets, and will not be spared from sitting with gatherings of horticulturists, while his lucubrations are being deliberately picked in pieces by his associates; and he will be required to employ his pen, and, perchance, a writing machine or two, in responding to the thousand and one queries of correspondents who may lack the facilities, the time, or, perchance, even the disposition to elaborate them for themselves. In fact, he will now, pretty surely, find himself settled down in the deepest of horticultural ruts, with no alternative but to go straight forward, unless, perchance, he shall succeed in qualified or partial escape by assuming the role of horticultural editor, and, in so doing, acquire the right (by courtesy) to impose a share of the burden upon his friends or acquaintances. making a The President—The last topic and paper for this evening is one upon forestry—a subject that ranks all others in importance to our interests all over this continent. The success of our horticulture, the prosperity of our agriculture, and the permanence of our civilization even, all depend upon the wisdom with which we manage this paramount interest of forestry. I am glad that so able a man as Governor Furnas, of Nebraska, has undertaken to discuss this subject here, and am very sorry that Dr. Warder was not able to get here to present his paper upon this question in person. Before introducing Governor Furnas, allow me to say that I hold in my hand this handsome gavel-A beautiful emblem of my office— which was, at the beginning of this meeting, presented to me by my esteemed friend, the Governor. It is made of three varieties of native timber from trees planted and grown by the Governor on the great plains of Nebraska, once known as the Great American Desert. And a very suggestive commentary it is upon the old theories concerning the sterility of these magnificent plains of the North west. Ladies and gentlemen, the Hon. Robert W. Furnas, of Nebraska. FORESTRY ON THE PLAINS. BY R. W. FURNAS, OF NEBRASKA. "With every successive year the depletion of the lumber forests is deplored, and the cry raised that only a short time will intervene before the vast timbered districts will be barren areas. Owners of pine lands materially differ as to when this famine will occur, some placing the limit at seven years and others as far off as twenty-five years. It is a subject, although closely studied, still not demonstrable as an absolute certainty. No one knows just how much timber there is in the Northwest, though perhaps a pretty fair approximate can be arrived at, and from such an estimate is based the reasonable deduction that in about seven years, at the rate timber is now being cut, the market here will have to seek new fields of supply. 66 Michigan forests are being thinned out more rapidly than those of Wisconsin and Minnesota, chiefly because the timber is more plentiful and attracts more dealers. It was estimated by lumber dealers and owners of pine lands that the main lumber region of Michigan, that is, the main peninsula, contained in 1830 about 29,000,000,000 of feet. Since then an average of 4,000,000,000 feet a year have been cut, thus making 12,000,000,000 feet subtracted from the 29,000,000,000, leaving 17,000,000,000 standing. The upper peninsula was estimated at the same time to contain about 6,000,000,000 feet, of which something like 1,500,000,000 have been cut. Thus, in the two districts or peninsulas of Michigan, the standing timber at present is estimated at 21,500,000,000 feet of lumber. "In 1881 Michigan contributed 4,500,000,000 feet, and 1882 about 6,000,000,000 feet. The total amount of}feet of lumber cut in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota in 1881 was 6,769,886,749 feet. The figures for the year 1882 have 1 not yet been completed, but an approximation places the yield` at nearly 10,000,000,000. "It is readily perceived, therefore, that the day is not far off, if the cutting continues at this rate, when the lumber fields of the Northwest will be things of the past. Fully alive to the inevitable result, capital is being invested in the South, particularly in Mississippi and Alabama, where the pine belts are enormous in extent and apparently inexhaustible. Unlike the white pine of the Northwest, the yellow pine of the South grows rapidly and is not killed by civilization. The young pines of the Northwest are not reckoned in the calculation, as maturity is too indefinite, and growth is stunted by the smoke and camp-fires of the lumbermen. The hardy yellow pine of Southern Mississippi, Arkansas, portions of Tennessee and Alabama, grow, the smoke of settlers to the contrary notwithstanding. The Mississippi pine lands, which have recently attracted the attention of a wealthy syndicate of western men, are seemingly inexhaustible. Their richness is no new discovery, and billions of feet have been cut from them and transported to every port in the civilized world."* With these figures before us, together with the well-known constantly increasing consumption of timber, and consequent growing demand, there is well founded solicitude, not only on the part of the United States, but of the whole civilized world, as to future timber supply. Solicited by this Society to prepare and read a paper on this occasion, and the subject, "Forestry on the Plains," designated, the object will be, not so much a treatise, as to present as briefly as may be practical what has been done, what is being done, and what may be done, converting naturally timberless portions of country into tree-growing regions. The presentation is substantially the experience and observation of the writer during a residence of twenty-seven years west of the Missouri river, in what is now the States of Nebraska and Kansas, familiarly known as "Twin Sister” territories, organized under the same act of Congress. Taking the geography of boyhood days, together with official reports of Captain Miles, U. S. A., and the western explorer, Colonel Fremont, relating to that portion of the national domain situated between the Missouri river and the Rocky Mountains, as a basis for conclusions, there was at date of extinguishment of Indian title to these lands, in 1854, nothing enticing to enterprising adventurers seeking new homes in the Far West, especially in matters of tree-growing. The thought that the then naked plains would ever be transformed into groves of valuable timber was not entertained. Those who first came, during the years 1854-55-56, soon discovered, however, that, particularly along the borders of streams and where prairie fires were kept out, there was promising spontaneous indigenous growth of valuable varieties of timber: Oaks, black walnut, hickories, elms, ash, red mulberry, honey-locust, hackberry, linden, soft maple, sycamore, Kentucky cof *Chicago Times, January, 1883. fee tree, red cedar, cottonwoods, willows and others. Still later, it was found by experiment, that native seedlings transplanted into carefully prepared soil, did well on high uplands—out on the open prairie. Not only did well, but grew with remarkable vigor and rapidity, showing characteristics of excellence in quality. To those of indigenous growth were added in time varieties of foreign origin: Hard, or sugar maple, American chestnut, white walnut, poplar, beech, birch, black locust, larch, pines, catalpa, black cherry and others. While success followed efforts in this direction, only the most sanguine, adventurous experimenters had faith in ultimate practical results. In further time, through an act of the Territorial Legislature, creating a board of agriculture, the labors of the board organized under its provisions, and afterwards, liberal legislative appropriations, keeping out annual fires, and other aids and precautions, tree growing in Nebraska and Kansas is universally conceded a success. There is now no hesitancy or risk in predicting in the near future, that this region will be known and characterized as a timber-producing division of the country. EXTENT OF TREE PLANTING AND GROWING. It may be safely stated that but little tree planting was done in the district designated, and by reason of annual fires sweeping very generally over the country, spontaneous growth was exceedingly meagre, for at least ten years after organization of the territories and first efforts by settlers to improve and develop. Statistics here presented in connection with Nebraska and Kansas commence with date, passage of Kansas-Nebraska act, 1854. From that time up to, and including the year 1882, covering a period of twenty-eight years, official statistics, with some reliable estimate to cover dates not thus provided, it is found there have been planted within the borders of what is now the State of Nebraska, 244,356 acres of forest trees. This includes seedlings, seeds and cuttings, planted in permanent forests, groves, and along highways and streets in cities and villages. Spontaneous indigenous growth, since fires have been kept from borders of streams and ravines, is estimated equal to half the area planted. Personal observation would warrant a larger proportion. Not a few informants contend for an equal extent; some higher-even to double. James T. Allan, Omaha, Ex-Secretary American Forestry Association, now in employ of the U. P. R. R. Co., traveling extensively over the West, responding to inquiries on this particular point, writes: "I have watched the spontaneous growth of young elms, walnuts, oaks, ash, hickories, etc., along the Missouri, Wood, and other rivers in the West, since fires have been kept back, and seen their growth among the hazel brush, which is the fringe on the border of native timber, dividing it from the prairie. I hardly think I am out of the way in setting it at double the amount of timber planted." A majority, however, in various parts of the State, place the estimate as stated-at one-half. It is safe to say a majority of the planting is made, originally, four feet by four, with view to cutting out first one-half, as growth demands space, and eventually another half of that remaining; three-fourths in all. Some plant six by six; others eight by eight. Planted four by four, we have 2,622 trees to the acre; or a total of 640,701,432. Eight by eight, 682 to the acre, or add to the average the spontaneous estimate, one-half, and the grand total a total of 166,680,790. Average the totals and there is shown 403,676,112; is, ber of trees per acre, spontaneous growth, will more than equal one-half the acreage planted. It is estimated one-fourth of the trees, seeds and cuttings planted did not grow, and therefore not now occupying the ground. Spontaneous growth, except where the weak have been crowded out by the strong, and such as may have been destroyed by occasional fires, it may be said all are growing. FRUIT TREES Planted in Nebraska, since 1854 to 1882 inclusive, 12,038,112, of which 1,714,442 were planted in the year 1882; 2,906,754 grape vines have been planted, fully 30 per cent. of that number planted in 1882. KANSAS. From statistics on file with the State Board of Agriculture, Kansas, the following figures are obtained: There have been planted since the first settlement in that State, 139,995 acres of forest trees. Walnut, 9,512 acres; maple (mostly soft) 13,545; honey locust, 1,916; cottonwood, 47,363; other varieties, 67,659. Planted four by four, or 2,622 plants to the acre, the total is shown, 376,066,890 trees, or eight by eight, 682 to the acre, the total is 195,376,590 trees. Average the totals and we have 231,221,710. Add for spontaneous growth 115,610,870, and the grand total is 346,832,640 trees. These estimates for spontaneous growth in that State range from 20 to 50 per cent. As a rule, trees planted were put out under provisions of the national timber culture act. Of course many thousands of acres were planted by farm ers who have not timber claims. The number of fruit trees planted in that State during the same time, as shown by State records, is: |