REPORT. OFFICE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, HARRISBURG, January 4, 1878. To the Honorable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representa tives: GENTLEMEN: In compliance with the requirements of law, and in accordance with the direction of the Board, I have the honor to herewith submit the first annual report of the Pennsylvania Board of Agriculture. The organization of the Board, at a period so late as in February last, of course, precludes the possibility of a full year's work in the leading objects for which it was created. Two meetings have been held-one in February and the other in May-and, in the interim, the work of thorough organization and correspondence has been kept up from the office of the Board. The work of the February meeting was mainly that of organization and preparation, which was duly effected, as will be shown in detail, (as required by law,) by copies of the minutes, and other papers, herewith submitted. The May meeting was devoted to the perfection of the organization, and to the consideration of the questions of forestry; including the present and possible future condition of the forests of the State, and their influence upon the agricultural interests of our citizens; and of fertilizers, including their action, result, and the present condition of those now in the market. In the consideration of the former question, the Board has had the counsel of gentlemen who have devoted considerable time and attention to the subject, whose views and observations will be found recorded in sundry documents, which are herewith connected. The present and possible future condition of our forests is a question which demands the careful and deliberate consideration of every one who has the welfare of the State at heart. The fact that our lumber interests, directly or indirectly, represent an investment of capital amounting to $27,800,000, giving employment to more than twenty thousand of our citizens, whose labor is compensated by wages, amounting to $6,200,000; working up raw material, costing $19,000,000, into products valued at $35,200,000, is perhaps enough to show the great commercial importance of the subject. But there are other phases of the question, and other interests involved, which are probably quite as important as this, and which are none the less so because they affect the future, quite as much as the present, welfare of the State. The history of older countries plainly proves that where forest denudation has been carried beyond a certain point, important climatic and physical changes take place, and that these, in their turn, exercise a greater or less influence upon the future of the country to which they apply. Many of our scientific men, as well as many of our best citizens, are already alarmed at the symptoms of these results, which have been noted in our State, and the question has assumed such grave importance, that the Governor has twice alluded to it in his annual messages to your honorable body. Our rivers and streams are frequently subjected to devastating floods. The rafting season, on our main river and its tributaries, in the lumber regions of the State, has become so uncertain as to render the supply of lumber precarious, and subjects the markets to fluctuations which are inimical to the interests of a large number of our citizens, and render uncertain the pursuit of a branch of industry which it is to the best interests of the State to foster and protect. If these gentlemen are correct in their deductions, and we must admit that the evidence is mainly in their favor, it is certainly but prudent to endeavor to provide against any further increase of the evil; and also, as far as possible, to retrieve past errors. It has been claimed that the present rate of forest denudation is such as will remove all of our most valuable timber in less than thirty years. Should the future demonstrate the correctness of this estimate, the effect is so evident that we need but draw your attention to it, and it furnishes a powerful argument and incentive to protective legislation. In our examination of the question, and incident to the consideration of a remedy for an admitted evil, it was natural to examine not only into the effect of the same causes in other States, but also into the remedies which have been applied. Such an examination will develop the fact that all attempts to apply a remedy by legislation, may be divided into two classes-one protective in its nature, and the other reproductive; the former having the most adherents, and being most easy of application. Protective legislation, so far as it has been tried, seems to have been barren in its results, unless assisted by the public spirit of those most directly interested-the owners of the land upon which the forests grow. When the presentation of facts has been such as to convince them that their interests, and those of the State, are identical, good results have invariably been reached; and it is mainly in this way that we can hope to effect beneficial results. We have in our State a large area, which, at least for many years to come, is unfit for any crop other than its natural one of forest trees. Much of this has had one growth of timber removed, and nature has made abortive attempts to replace them, but has thus far been thwarted by those who should have rendered her assistance. Every few years these large areas are devastated by forest fires, which, in a few hours, destroy the natural effort of years. If some system of protective legislation can be adopted which will prevent, or mitigate this destruction, it will do much to destroy the evils to which we have alluded. Legislation in favor of forest reproduction, is, in its nature, more difficult to control. In Europe, it has been invoked with excellent effect; but to carry it out to its full extent in this State, would be impolitic, if not impossible. Other States have made steps in this direction in the form of legislation, to encourage the planting of trees along the public roads, and in other available places. Of the results of these attempts, it is yet too soon to judge, but the indications are favorable. Your attention is respectfully directed to a paper by Hon. F. B. Hough, United States Commissioner of Forestry, in which he treats of legislation in connection with forestry, and which is appended to this report. The discussions and opinions of the members of this board, as expressed at its meetings, and a condensation of the correspondence of this office, all lead toward the conclusion that the primary step in applying a remedy is to place the matter fairly before our citizens, and that one of the best systems of forest protection and reproduction is to be found in the public spirit of the people. If they are once aroused to the fact that the danger really exists, we may hope for much assistance, from their well known State pride. After a full and free discussion of the subject, as is shown in detail by annexed papers and documents, the board were not prepared to recommend any special legislation, but preferred simply to suggest its careful consideration by your honorable body, and by our citizens, hoping that the near future will develop some plan for the accomplishment of the desired end. In an examination into the action and results of fertilizers and the actual condition of the commercial manures sold in the State, the secretary has had the assistance of the chemist of the board, the superintendent of the Eastern Pennsylvania experimental farm, and of a number of gentlemen in this and other States, who, by their special knowledge and experience, are eminently qualified for the work. The results of this work, as laid before the board, together with its action thereon, will be found appended to this report. The increased demand for commercial manures has not only greatly increased their manufacture, but it has also, in some cases, placed it in the hands of dishonest parties. It is a fact patent to all that, considered as a whole, the commercial fertilizers now sold in the State are not worth the money demanded for them; and yet they are quite as high in price as in other States, where by proper legislative action they are sold in strict accordance with the value of the ingredients which they contain. A careful examination into the effect of legislation relating to the sale of this class of goods in other States proves that, when judiciously managed, its results have been to increase the average value of the article offered for sale, and to drive dishonest articles from the market, thus relieving honest and responsible manufacturers from the necessity of competing with irrespons |