Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1876 — American Institute Proceedings—Forest Culture. [ARTICLE]

American Institute Proceedings—Forest Culture.

The following paper on “ Forests," offered through the Forest Committee, was recently read before the American Institute in New York : Our co-operative relations with foreign countries on forest interests are likely to be intimate*. The incorporation of” the following memorial in this series of papers, together with the direct applicability of much of it to us, therefore seems not inappropriate. When in the Orient, on the work of the Oriental Topographical Corps, we addressed it, at the request of eminent Scientists resident in the Turkish domuiions,- to the Governor of Palestine through tile Prussian Consul at Jerusalem, and through a Scotch physician of Cairo to the Khedive of Egypt. The memorial is as follows: ‘‘That is a beautiful story of a dream of tWol lower of your prophet, w’ho desired to know if he truly lovecl God, and learned in the dream that he who proved by the acts of his life that he loved his fellowman might be sure lie loved God. In this land none of the temporal gifts of God seem more needed by our fellow-men than trees. These w ill give not only the fruit they bear on their branches and cool shade on the ground, but, also, health in the air, rain from the clouds and beauty to the laud. We can give our fellow-men these benefits of the trees by planting them, and we can plant ten treeseeds easier than we can dig up one small tree and plant it. In the fatherland of our German brethren there is a pleasant custom of every newly-married pair planting two trees. The scientific organization which 1 represent is trying to form the habit among its members and friends who travel or live in Oriental countries of planting in them the seeds of the fruits we eat here. If this habit could become general among the people, and also the habit or custom of protecting the young trees by keeping men and animals from injuring them, the good would soon come to the people, and the wealth to vour Government would be very great. We find beetle-holes, crevices behind large stones in the shade, and damp places by water-courses good places to plant the seeds; and seeds having firm cases (such as the oak, peach, plum and apricot) good ones to plant. We believe that in many desert places the yellow-pine, which grows in sandy portions of the Southern States of North America, also the seeds of nut-bearing trees, of special value to your country. If these words seem good to you please add such other words to them as in your wisdom shall seem best, and send them to the Sheiks of your land. I have thus planted thousands of treeseeds in the Turkish dominions myself,. and hope to plant thousands more.'/ You may think it well to offer a prize to the Sheik who plants and protects the greatest number of trees within a half hour’s travel from his village. With great respect I beg to subscribe myself your American

friend,

GEO. MAY POWELL.”

M. Gaston Melingue, who some weeks ago struck M. Gille, one of the staff of the Figaro , over the head with a stick, lias just been condemned to six months’ imprisonment and to pay SQO francs fine and costs by the Tribunal Correctionnel of the Seine. It may be remembered that M. Gaston Melingue gave as his reason for assaulting M. Gille that the latter had written an article turning into ridicule Melingue, the late well-known actor and father of the defendant. It appears, however, that the real cause of the affray may be traced to a long-standing quarrel between the members of M. Gille’s and M. Melingue’s families. The Albany Argus says* f several hopgrowers in the Mohawk Yallry, having held back their hops as long as they were able, have been obliged to sell at eleven cents, wfren earlier in the season they might have got from thirteen to fifteen cents.