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Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1870
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369 KING, of Rockford—In 1846 I spent several months in Europe. I found thetn planting trees in England ; everybody had copses of all sorts planted on the hill slopes. There was no law obligating them to do so ; there are laws against destroying forests. K N A P P — I have known black walnut trees seventeen years old that were a foot in diameter. Mr. Galusha's motion was adopted, and Samuel Edwards, O, B. Galusha and A. S. Miller were appointed the committee. Adjourned. WEDNESDAY, February 23—9 o'clock. The subject of Timber Planting was resumed. Moss—Judge Knapp said trees would not increase the rain fall. I have always understood they would. GALUSHA—I am glad this point has been taken up. Eains are regulated by fixed laws. Man may modify—I think he may—the distribution of rain. In summer electrical attraction will have its effect. Lightning rods will bring showers, and probably trees. BALDWIN, of Farm Ridge—The opinion has been prevalent that the quantity of rain could be increased by trees. This is controverted [by a French writer quoted] by Mr. Reynolds in his report of the Paris Exposition. I think the reasons there given are not satisfactory; and that tree planting will have the effect to increase the rain fall. [The authorities seem to bear out the statement of Judge Knapp that forests do not increase rain fall, but husband it, and prevent its speedy evaporation. Loomis' Meteorology, p. 157-8 ; Blodget's Climatology of the United States, p. 482, etc., and 405 ; Marsh's Man and Nature, p 178. But the position of M. Tisserand, as quoted by Mr. Reynolds, is much in advance of Judge Knapp, and is perhaps partly untenable. See vol. 7, Transactions Illinois State Agricultural Society, p. 704—Secretary.] The committee appointed to report upon tree planting, submit* ted the following resolutions, which were adopted: WHEREAS, At the present ratio of consumption, the pineries, from which we obtain our supplies of lumber, will be exhausted in about 20 years, and in the meantime, prices of all variety of lumber must appreciate in an adverse ratio to this reduction, and —48
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