In 1882, a number of patriotic citizens at Cincinnati called together a forestry congress, incited thereto by the visit and representations of Baron von Steuben, a Prussian forest official, when visiting this country on the occasion of the centennial celebration of the surrender of Yorktown. A very enthusiastic and representative gathering, on April 25, was the result, lasting through the week, which led to the formation of the American Forestry Congress. In the same year, in August, a second meeting was held in Montreal, under the patronage of the Canadian government, and the name was changed to the American Forestry Association. In 1898, it began the publication of a propagandist journal, The Forester (later changed to Forestry and Irrigation then to Conservation, and now again to American Forestry). It has now a member-ship of over 5,000. Much of the early educational propaganda was done through this association. Indeed, this association, holding yearly and intermediate meetings in different parts of the States, became the center of all private efforts to advance the forestry movement. Twelve volumes of its proceedings contain not only the history of progress in establishing a forest policy, but also much other information of value on forestry subjects. Other local or State forestry associations were formed from time to time, more or less under the lead of the national association, and exist now in almost every State, while several other societies, like the Sierra Nevada Club and the Mazamas of the Pacific coast, and State horticultural societies in various States, made the subject one to be discussed and to be fostered. The most active of these associations, since it was formed in 1886, publishing also a bi-monthly journal, Forest Leaves (at first less frequently), is the Pennsylvania State Forestry Association, which has succeeded in thoroughly committing its State to a proper forest policy, as far as official recognition is concerned. Usually as a result of this associated private effort, the States appointed forestry commissions or commissioners. These commissions were at first for the most part instituted for inquiry and to make reports, upon which a forest policy for the State might be framed. Others have become permanent parts of the State organization, with executive, or merely educational functions. Such commissioners of inquiry were appointed at various times, in Connecticut (1877), New Hampshire (1881 and 1889), Vermont (1882), New York (1884), Maine (1891), New Jersey (in Geological Survey 1894), Pennsylvania (1893), North Carolina (in Geological Survey 1891), Ohio (1885), Michigan (1899), Wisconsin (1897), Minnesota (1899), North Dakota (1891), Colorado (1885), California (1885).