Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-06-23


and at the same time provided for most ex-
tcnsive growth in the future.
Bertholdi gives more glaring illustrations
as to the high Importance to every civilized
nation OF a systematic cultivation of trees
Holland, he remarks, is country naturally
poor in the growth of timber, therefore it has
to be supplied with wood for building houses
and ships by the neighboring countries, name
ly, nuremberg, Baden, and Bavaria, from
whence an enormous quantity is annually i'm
ported at an almost fabulous cost Were it
not that Holland possesses rich fields of peat
IL would be poor country, notwithstanding
its highly productive foreign colonies and its
great commerce. This is the case with the
peasantry on the shores of the Rhine where
nost fertile soil for the cultivation of vines
and grain of every description exists, and yet
comparative poverty is produced on account
of the large amount of money required to be
annually expended on wood.
France is next taken up, and it is said that
its geographical position and its climate are
extremely favorable for rich production of
timber, but the government of la grGade nation
keeps employed ignorant, arrogant and utterly
corrupt foresters, and instead of a rich rcye-
nue. from this large natural source, the govern
ment has great surplus in the expenditures
every year. Although stringent laws are in
existence, and severe punishment is inflicted
on every poor peasant who violates them, to
prevent any illegal destruction, the yield in
general throughout France is not one quarter
OF what 1T would be from n rational manage
meDt. The contrast between Germany and
France is most remarkable. 1t is shown by
the relative states of two forests, the one on
the boundary of Germany, and the other on
the adjoining boundary of France, where
there is no difference of climate and soil. One
is in the Department de Bas Rhin, the other
in Bavaria. The French forest is five times as
large as that of Bavaria, and while the latter
government draws a net revenue of 46 900
francs annuall. the former has a surplus ex-
penditure of 10000 francs in the same period.
Such facts are sufficient, believe, to con-
vince the most sceptical on the doctrine of
systematic cultivation of trees.
Impressed with the great importance of
this subject, as the reader of your valuable
paper may already be, it will be more interest
ing to peruse the views of the author we have
quoted in regard to the cultivation of timber
in our country. He states fact which is high
ly surprising, and that is, that timber in this
country of primitive forests costs at present
in all the places where it is consumed two and
a half times as much as in Bavaria. This may
be the cause why wood gas has not made SO
much headway in the United States as on the
European continent. Such great difference in
the price of timber is easily explained, if
take into consideration that the inhabitants of
the United States have increased since the
year 1I76 to the present time to at least ten
fold the original number; that consequently
cities, towns and villages have sprung up in
this period to an extent unparalleled in history,
and that the same rapid growth has character
lied the railroads and mercantile marine-all
devouring an immense quantity of timber.
To these is to be added the annual consump-
tion of wood as fuel in the cold winters in the
North, and all over the country, which is not
always done in very economical way. We
say nothing of how the clearing of wood is
viewed by the farmer, but it is known he con-
siders its destruction great gain, as it gives
him more arabic land for plowing.
We thus understand why there is slready a
scarcity of timber in some parts of the Union.
How is it to be remedied? Our author sug-
gests somewhat similar plan in regard to
timber as a Member of Congress (Mr. MorrcD
lately suggested in regard to agriculture. But
the growth of timber being very slow, he
thinks that laws should be enacted in each
State to encourage the cultivation of trees
particularly on ground which is not adapted
for agricultural purposes. He thinks that in
their representatives, should undertake the
draining of them, and plant trees thereon, and
these to be the property of States, canals
were built, and are managed in our day. The
federal government, too, he believes, ought to
take such measures TO have the forests of gov
ernment lands Systematically maintained, and
they should employ for this purpose able Of
fccrs, and make from the sale of wood a reg
ular annual revenue.