REPORT OF FO.1ESTRY COUMITTEE*F.F.W.C.


Madame President-Ladies;-

This committee consists of the following;- Mrs A.R.Harper,Gainesville,
Mrs J.E.Ingraham,St.Augustine.
.rs John Gifford,Cocoanut Gr'vo
Mrs W'. Summer, Jax.
Ors J.O. right, Chairman.
Since the committee was formed, I have given the matter considerable

thought, with a viewv of determining the irost practical 'work to take up

at the present time.

The subject of ForeStry is a very comprehensive one,and presents

a griat many phases for consideration- some of which a-re of a practical

character,.vhile others are not suited to the present state of develope-

ent of Florida.

Jebster defines Forestry as "The art of developeinfg, or managing

forests". In the settlement of the timbered section,the first and

most important work is to get rid of the trees,so as to prepare the

land for occupancy and cultivation. withoutt this destruction of the

original forest,there could be no homes or civilization in the wooded

portions of our country. Just how far this work should proceed,without

the intervention of civil authority,is a matter not easily determined.

'here timbered land is owned by the Federal Government,or by the

-'tate,the manner of its removal should recieve early consideration;but

.where the lands are owned by corporations or individuals,a different

policy must necessarily ensue.

The Constitution of the United Ctates guarantees to all persons

the right to acquire and hold private property,and such persons cannot

be deprived oJ.' thi- property(including forests)without due process/

of Law -neither can private property be taken for public use without

just compensation. This bein6 the fundamental law of the land, any





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action the Wom'ns Club desire to take relating to tWe forests of the

State,must be in harmony with this law.

The first work of the Comittee on Forestry therefor,should be

to ascertain from the proper authorities,the amount and location of any

timbered land in the state,held by the Federal Government or by the

state of Florida. We shall then be in a position to determine what

provisions should be recommended and urged for the protection and

Conservation of the public timbered land in the state.

Our ne:.t important work is to inaugurate and foster an educa-

tional cafmpain,urging upon the owners of private timbered lands,the

importance of caring for,and cutting this timber in accordance with

the well established rules of Forestry. This can be done by public

lectures,articals in the press, moving pictures,and- by the personal

efforts of the individual members of this Forestr Committee and of

the F.F.'.'.C In this connection, I woul suggest that a reqIuest be

-sent the Agricultural Depart:;rent at ,ashington for une of their "

"Special Lantern Slide S;ets" .These sets are prepared by the Forest

Service of the U.S.Cov't.and relate to General Forestry, and to

Nature Study ae--orl-t 'ry, :~-.ual TraininG and_~L esy, otany and

F'Q_,-stry,and iAgriculture a :d flener y-they consist of colored lantern-

slides and have been prepared for educational use. iach set is accom-

panied by a syllabus zor a lectureuand I am sure that our Forestry

work would d recieve a nea impetus from both pictures a d slides,bein

sent over our state, where each club could have the adJ/antu.e of seeing

and hearing ..hat our e/~l/l Government experts have prepared on the

subject.


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An effort should be made to induce the Legislature of the State to

employ a State Forestor at public expense,to advise with the holders

of timbered lands as to the best method of cutting timber and pro -

tectin6 the standin-g trees.A competent Forestor could render! valuable

$/.Jyj$ service in discovering and introducing new uses for our

a.iste Timber Products.The fibres and grasses of our State can be

utilized for Basketry and many pooridle girls given employment,if

some generous citizen would d Aid us in securing a teacher who was

competent to instruct the:<, in the art of .,:akinng baskets, In Asheville,

N.C.such a work is being carried on extensively,giving employment

to many poor ,irls.Startn6 first as a class in the Episcopal church

with one teacher, the work was so successfully carried on,that i-rs

Vanderbilt ws-1sk-.4-t invelt'i~a e-itand this meant that she was

,oing to help them.She spent valuable time and great deal of money

r enlar-g the wvork, and today it stands one of the broadest and best

cliarities in hat locality,The ,iris supply hundreds of tourists

with baskets occpi p building of .U~ own,and make a neat living,

frr th.ee.. p'-hntainirls, 'hy could .not Florida secure such

employment for our incori,,ible ,irls?uihat better w'ork,to subdue their

evil tend:rcies '.han tli.l i(,dutstry?"- ,tan finds Visc!'L.i .. idle

hands"but with this fascinating / /basket work to keep them busy,

these _irls aoi.ld h..ve some higher incentive-some better purpose

in life.

The ijXfl ^/protection and planting of suitable trees for

shad o,.rnamentation alone, the public roads and in public Lrioun.1j

should be urogd upon County Commissiuoners and other public officials.

Towns and villages ..here timber is yet plentiful should be


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urged to acquire and hild tracts of timber land for. publicc Parks.

Where the original forests have been destroyed,tree planting

and cultivation should be encourl.ed.In the early days in ashingrton

City, small tracts of land in different parts of the city, were held

for parks, and today these parks are among. the chief beauties of the

National Capitol.(We have no George 'Vashington nor LSnfant,but we

have the land to make beautiful parks,if we only secure it as they

did,before it is too late.)

In California the Forestry Department has for years, )oen

planting, trees along the highways and this year has planted roc:e bu.shes

Ir -retrel along 200 miles of road;,,making them perfect bowers

of roses. Along one piece of highly develop roadway a e 50,000 rose

bushes embracing 50 varieties. Imagine the beauty of such a highway!

1iy can not Florida,"The land of flowers" utilize 'the beauti-

ful Cherokee rose ahich gross wild, i;L such profusudn,.n this way,?

Leading citizens of the different counties might contribute small

sums and this, together with direct taxation,would provide means to

carry out this idea.

In Australia,the Forestry Department has done ruch good A-ork

in rearing trees for distribution,conserving the supplies of native

timber,and in introducing to the state a number of varieties of trees

which produce marketable timber.And so,not only in our own dear country

but all over the broad land, the people are awakening to the fact

that trees- forests- are a most valuable asset. Right here in our

own State, in Ocala,. the ho;ie of our former President of oi:ens Clubs,

they have bought anm set out ] trees along the public ;tig;hvay,and

also planted rose bushes;thus carrying out a sell formulate: plan for

boautifying their road;ays,wahi~h I very much .esire to see imitated

by other clubs in the state.


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My plan is this;- That each member of the F////00Forestry Com.

of the F.F.W.C. consider herself a committee of one ':1 pledge herself

to use her very best efforts towards influencing the Legislators and

/$County Commissioners to work with us for the Conservation of our

Forests-the Beautifying of our / public IHighwaysT-the urgent need of

a State Forestor,and for the setting aside for all time, of tracts

of land,to be kept and utilized for ParX purposes. By diligently

and tactfully using our best efforts.to this end-by writing or

talking intelligently to the Legislators and County Commissioners

we can accomplish wonders.In our state,so rich in Natures beauties,

our public highways might be made perfect $/Obowers of beauty and

at very small expense. 'ith the many varieties of trees iu our forests,

there should be such roads thru our country as would call forth the

admiration of all who come into -he State which admiration will even-

tually, lead to the.admirers becoming purchasers of t o land,and

home makers in our state.

"Proarastination is the theif of time"-so let us put our

hearts and minds and energies into this work of saving our forests,

utilizing our waste recourses and beautifying our roadways-for these

all lead to one great ~ood-tA"up.uilding and developei.w of the State.-


Respectfully Submitted.




Ch'. Forestry.
February 8th.1915. F.F.'.*C.
Jacksonville,


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