Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-11-15
THE USE OF TREES.

The tine has come when, at least in the
more settled and cultivated regions Of our conn
try, the preservation Of trees should occupy the
care and attention Of our rural and agricultural
population. 1t s not wonderful that during
the period when it was the farmers chief con-
cern 10 rescue the soil from the savagoncss Of
nature, this object should seem to him of minor
importance. On the contrary, TO sweep away
the gloomy and tangled forest. whose brawny
arms everywhere thrust back the advances of
industrial life aud to cause the smiling corn
fields, the smooh-shaven lawn, aud the hum
ming village 10 spring from It's primeval do
main, was paramount aud vigorous consider
alton, the chief condition Of agricultural pro-
gross. The sentiment of the beautiful was
rightly forced to stand in aheyance, to give
place for the time being to the practical aud the
necessary.
And thus we went on, generation alter gem
Grafton, moving down mercilessly the eian,
sons of tho wilderness. any one Of which, If
transplanied to the parks of England or France,
would have been esteemed treasure beyond
price, until we ceascd TO good extent to retain
that perception of the beautiful in trees which
is universal in every other country. We made
inroad upon the forest which no plea Of neces-
siiy could justify we constructed great bliek
bake-ovcns of cities with scarcely any provis-
ion for healthful relaxation. and pure air. and
grateful shade, and exhlaraiing verdure within
their limits, in the shape Of parks, and gardens,
and squares. All this was perhaps, the ine-
vitahle result Of circumstances but 10 proiracl
this destruction beyond the presen, period in
those parts Of the country under cultivation,
wocld de a Vandalism without excuse
A stronger appeal, however, 10 eonserva.
tive spirit in this regard, is made by the num-
erous scientific Investigations Of the sge, all Of
which show the great advantages which spring
from careful nurture Of trees A late mag
azine, in treating Of this subject, gives the in-
formation lhai-"llumbodi called public aiieu-
tion to the probable consequence Of the des,ruc-
ton Of forests as carly as the year 1900. Iii
well-known fact that the lakes in the valley
Of Mexico have greatly contracted since the old
Aztec tines The city of Mexico oecapies lis
ancient site, bat i, is now some distance in
shore, instead Of an island as formerly. This
Is to be ascribed to the telling Of the forests
that clothed The adjacent hills, The British
Association has collected from India vast
amount Of Information bearing upon the sarie
poin.. Among the hills Of Ceylon, where ,hs
forests have been cut down, 10 etder 10 form
coffee plantations, the loss Of the springs and
fountains has already become an evil Of great
magnitude"
Our own country is yet too new, and oar
forests are yet, in spite OF woodmen and axes,
too numerous for the scarcity Of water to have
become serious evil But like causes produce
like effects, and, unless we change our proce-
dure, our children will suffer from our wanlon
carelessness. We have no right fa, our own
temporary Advantage 10 desoll,a The c5aniry-
No generation has more than life interes, 10
the earth, Of which it is but the trustee Of pos-
teriy. Every man who has revisited his early
home 10 the older SlaIes, after an absei.ce Of a
few years, cannot have failed 10 notice the d.
minulion Of the streams and spriags Thcro
is probably no waler in the brook that turned
his waicr-wheel. The springs in the pasture,
which he remembers as ovetGawing, are dry
aud, If season Of unusual drouth happens, the
cattle must be driven long distances to water
necessity which was never known in his ear
ly years. More especially will this be tie ease
ii railroad or an iron establishment has occa-
stoned rapid demand for fuel. The trees have
gone, and with Them the water, anL the mead
o"s and fields arc dry and parehed. Ia their
haste to be rich, tho farmers have killed the
goose that laie the goldea eggs for them.