Robert Douglas, the Nestor of American Forestry, told the American Association of Nurserymen last year that when forestry in this country is conducted in a plain business manner, and it is shown to capitalists that it is a profitable and safe investment, as it assuredly is, it will then be shown that we have the men ready to commence the work. There are not only dozens, but scores of men, members of this Association, who could take a contract to plant 1,000 acres annually without interfering with their home business, and deliver it over in 10 to 12 months from the signing of the contract. The process is very simple. We will say he makes his contract in February. In March, having ordered the seeds and the tree-digger forwarded, he steps on the train, gets off at the proper place, goes to a neighboring farmer, and leases 30 to 40 acres of land prepared for planting corn. He engages breaking teams to break the 1,000 acres, and the same men to cross plow in the autumn. While this is going on he has men and teams growing and cultivating the seedlings. In the prairie country he will be sure to find two months of fine weather during the autumn; thirty days will do. One hundred men will plant 1,000 acres in 30 days.

He comes home to his Thanksgiving dinner, after the trees are all planted, and if he is inclined to think he has accomplished something wonderful, he may have his pride somewhat humbled by noticing that a new railroad has been built since he went out, employing 1,000 men, while he has been dallying along with his 125 men; or possibly he may notice a farm on which wheat has been sown a month after he went out, and that 20,000 acres of wheat have been sown on that farm, harvested and sent to the elevator, and the whole 20,000 acres fall plowed, ready for another crop the following spring. Let us possess our souls in patience. The fertile districts of this country will not become a desert in less than 100 years; but in less time than that, much of the desert portion of the country will blossom as the rose.