, I began to see the fruit
of my efforts, and felt repaid many fold for what I had accomplished.

Unfortunately we are a nation of destruction, rather than of
construction, so far as our timber is concerned, and this is more
noticeable in fruit and nut trees than in other varieties; although,
being interested chiefly in these I possibly am biased.

When we stop to consider that a country such as Norway began to replant
and reclaim their forests before Columbus discovered America, it strikes
me that it should be a lesson for everyone in this country. Consider
too, if you please, that before the war Germany paid her entire road
taxes from nothing but the production of nut trees along the public
roads. We also know, although a very small country in area, that it
produced enough timber each year to satisfy the need for building and
commercial purposes in the form of packing cases, casks, etc. And here
we are, a country forty times larger than Germany, and forced to depend
on countries such as Canada and Norway for wood pulp out of which we
manufacture a great many grades of paper.

Some twenty years ago I had a political friend introduce a bill during a
meeting of the state legislature, which made it mandatory for the road
overseer to plant nut trees along the right of way all over the state;
but like many meritorious bills, it was pigeon-holed until the next
meeting of the legislature. It seemed an impossibility to resurrect this
and an exceptionally fine forestry bill.

Unfortunately I promised to preside at a meeting of conservationists and
it is for that reason that I am unable to meet and be with your
honorable body, for I would like so much to be permitted in a humble
capacity to assist in carrying on the work which you gentlemen are
doing, as it is going to mean so much to future generations. I am sure
that each of you feels as I do in this matter and that is that "He who
serves others, best serves himself."

When the matter comes up for consideration I would like very much to
have your next convention here in the Middle West, either in St. Louis
or Alton, Ill., which is only a few miles north of St. Louis and in the
vicinity of a splendid nut-producing section, particularly the pecan.

THE CHESTNUT

_C. A. Reed, U. S. Department of Agriculture_

No discussion of the nut industry in the North at this time would be
complete without a brief review of the chestnut situation. The
destruction wrought by b