ooner or later, it will lead us to a complete
mastery of the whole subject. The individual interest thus established,
will continue to expand until it embraces the entire tree-family of the
world. By constantly adding to our stores of knowledge in this
direction, we shall be surprised to find how much we have extended our
field of pleasure. In the same ratio, there will come to us a
corresponding increase of affection and appreciation for our
benefactors, the trees; a solace in the sojourn of life, so generously
supplied by Mother Nature.

"The location of Solaris as an experimental tree-planting farm, is
particularly fortunate. It possesses a soil and climate which will
promote the perfect growth of more than one hundred different varieties
of trees. Among these, we find a majority of the valuable timber and
nut-bearing trees of the world. Consequently, a very wide field of
experimentation awaits our efforts. Let us improve our splendid
opportunities so industriously, that a wide spread interest in forestry,
may follow and become firmly established in the minds of the people of
our Republic.

"By way of an introduction to the general subject, of the importance of
trees, as an adjunct to the progress, welfare and civilization of
mankind. I wish to relate to you the story of my first great lesson in
the seductive lore of forestry.

"Near the beginning of the last decade of the Nineteenth Century, in the
year of 1893, it was my good fortune to visit the World's Columbian
Exposition at Chicago. I was then a lad of fifteen years, full of boyish
enthusiasm, in the enjoyment of my first vacation from the preparatory
school, where I was being fitted for my collegiate course.

"I was born and reared on my father's farm, on the broad rolling
prairies of Nebraska; up to that time I had never been far from home; as
a consequence my knowledge of growing trees was limited to the following
fast-growing varieties, which were planted and cultivated by prairie
farmers for fuel, fencing and storm-protection. I will name these
varieties in the order of their value for fuel and timber. White ash,
soft maple, cottonwood and white willow. At a later period I learned
that perhaps with the exception of white ash, the timber furnished by
these trees, is considered valueless, in the markets of the world.

"Under such circumstances you may imagine my astonishment when I first
beheld that wonderfully unique, Forestry Building; with its bristl