Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-04-21

ocean. The sudIenness and violence of onr
ircshcts increases in proportion as the soil is
cleared: bridges are washed away. meadows
swept of their crops and fences, and covered
with barren sand, or themselves abraded by the
fury of the current and there is reason to lear
that the valleys of many of our streams will
soon be converted from smiling meadows into
broad wastes of single and gravel and pebbles.
deserts in summer, and seas in autumn and
spring. The changes which these causes have
wrought in the physical geography OF Vermont,
within single generation, are too striking To
have escaped the attention of any observing
person. and every middlc-aged man. who revisits
his birthplace after a few years absence. looks
upon another landscape than that which formed
the theatre OF his youthful tolls and pleasures.
The signs of artificial improvement are min.
ged with the tokens of improvdent waste. and
the bald and barren hills, the dry beds of the
smaller streams, the ravincs turrowed out by tho
torrents Of spring. and the diminished thread of
interval that skirts the widened channel of the
rivers, seem sad substitutes for the pleasant
groves and brooks and broad meadows of his
ancient paternal domain. If the present value
OF timber and land will not Justify the artificial
re-panting of grounds iniudiciously cleared, at
least nature ought to be allowed to re-c,othe
them with a spontaneous growth of wood, and
should be made of land for permanent improve
ment. 1t has long been a practice in many
parts of Europe, as well as in our older settle
ments, to cut the forests reserved for timber and
fuel, at stated intervals. 1t is quite time that
this practice should be introduced among us.
Alter the first Telling of the original forest it is
indeed long time before its place is supplied,
because the roots of old and full grown trees
seldom throw up shoots, but when the second
growth is once established, it may be cut with
great advantage, at periods of about twenty-five
years, and yields material, in every respect but
size. far superior to the wood OF the primitive
tree. In many European countries, the econo-
my of the forest is regulated by law; but here,
where public opinion determines, or rather in
practice constitutes law, we can only appeal to
an enlightened self-intercst to introduce the re-
forms, check the abuses, and preserve us from
an increase of the evils have mentioned.
The following striking example Of the advantages
of protection from cold, by of evergrcens, we
find in the Notes on Vermont Farming" by the
editor OF the Albany Cuvator, who made a visit to
this state in lSi5.-Ed Free Press.
In the garden of the Hon Ezra Mech Shelburnc,
we found vegetation forward than it gcner-
ally i'll the gardens of Albany and Troy, the
time. Attls we were somewhat surprised, especially
as besides being more than a hundred miles farther
north than Albany, it was located Immediately Oh the
verge OF Lake Champaign, naturally exposed to the
full sweep OF the coolest winds. We discovered,
however, that the garden completely protected by
a belt of white ccdcr-thc American ArJor rita
This had broken off the cold winds that the effect
was equivalent to transfer OF the spot several degrees
to the south.