Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-12-12
DAILY DEMOCRAT.
AQRICULfURAL.
WESTERN TRRsR CULTURE.
untercsalng Letter frssA Hoa. =.
a 0ariameln.


3 0<ianell.
GsrsxrLL, Iowa. November 3osh.
Nonresident landholders, prairie farm
ers. corporations and tho State Legislature
have shown an indifference to tree culture
which can find no rational justiticstion.-
Capable with others, let me seek to ava
ken public sentiment on this subject
hive made personal observ alton in sixty
OF our ons hundred counties, and examined
the cfE]cisl Asid hotss u lose. to arrive At
he conclusion that bet one 10 ten Of our
eountiss have sufBeisocy oftimber, and
svsa thsssars losisg rashss than increasing
their supply. Our increase Of population 10
an ssteaishmsps 70 the older States, and
the adsshee Ia ths number and market
vaIss of our anianals, % developed by the
census the sioh, ssadfy titled soil aud nu-
msrous psreppial aprings; motive power in
our rivers and ample coal fields, cannot be
oct over to fully NEST thss objection which
Is made to our prairie country-"wans Of
timber" Objsssion cannot veil b usds
TO our climate, since from this date-lats in
Novsmbsr-ws can cUunt weeks VI almost
continual Indian summer, and such ex-
emptions - 10 our fortune from diseases
may be set over in compensation against .
few days Of wintry winds end storms. The
early objections made to the State. Ia lack
Of facilities for business and the tssusporta-
ton Of products, are not now valid. -Four
lines Of railway. il not i've, will soon csoss
the State from tho Mississippi to the Mis-
souri. 81. Louis and St Paul are sure to
be iron linked by enc or moro routes. A
section Of csuntry fast developing will de-
mAnd On sasiy sxtsnsion 81 The keokuk and
Valley Road up the Des Moines to st. Pc
ters river, and to the pine forests Of Mime
sofa also, Q southvestesn branch from
Minnesota to Sioux City, distributing lun.-
Der and making the fourth Iowa connection
with the Union Pacific; giving CON-
plsssness to the systsm Of improve.
ments which will meet the de-
mands Of farmers and tradssmen Of
many Seates. Oar vulnerable point 10 .
lack Of timber for fuel and groves 10 meet
the requirements Of good taste In adorning
homes, not less than the absolute demand
Of the farmer, and what u neesasasy to the
mechanic and in tho construetion Of rail-
roads. This deficiency IN Iowa Is repre-
scented By an area larger than the entire
State of Ohio. The supply in more favor.
cd localities 10 being exhausted by the de-
msnd for ties and the erection Of fences and
buildings. Pine lumber 10 becoming lese
accessible and yearly appreciatioR in value.
What can meet THE necessity Of tim6ef fof
fuel and the absoluts demand of mechanical
interests, and Of private and public enter
prises, "a Tie twenty I've osllions Of acres
Of our virgin soil nov Of little value save to
nowadic tribes or herdsmen, who in mild
er climate can find more eongsnial home
Nothing ahsrt Of vigorous, scientific and
practical arbori- culture. A volume would
be required to fully discuss this subject =
but, IN . column, l may say thess is involv.
Cd in II, aesthetics, general utility. State
pride and sound economy.
Taste aud . higher culture should not b
foreign TO the minds and aims Of the mass
60 Of our PEOPLE. There can bs no heme Of
bcanty without the art ofsylvia culture, end
be who takes pride in bis grove, will study
to ornament, and not be indiffefeat 10 the
location and architecture Of his buildiags.
Excellence and skill in tree culture hes
nodded the taste Of whole nsighboshoods
and awakened composition in that direction
which has made renowned and historic ave
nues. parks and groves from the period Of .
NEUROLOGICAL Eysian down to The forest
planting era Of Europe, which lent its spir-
its TO the worthless gone to their reAt who
planted and named The Elm, the Maple and
the Chestnut streets, nov the pride Of so
many villages aud eitiss.
Culture is With . people that strikes
their roots deep and plans homo for gen.
erations. Then begins a grouping Of OBJ
jeots, and the outgoing Of an unseltish life.
The sire leaves to filial affection the CON-
plstion Of what he began. and son be-
nevolently devise, ior more numerous and
apprsciative SUCCESSORS. Thousands are
:, quired to build the idsai palatial hosne,
while dimes and little attentions will max e
comely the otherwise ill-shapen dwellin z
BY those trees which will exercise the evil
spirit Of discomfort, and, imparting beauty
and oontentmcnt keeps him in grateful
memory who planted shapes and fruits for
postcrity.
The utility Of trees has been admitted,
but we are of an age thas is impstient Of all
theories which do not promise an early re-
turn, and though to-day is the King which
may command tomorrow, confess that we
cannot wait. Thus The ephemeral COM
pline and abjure that philosophy which pa
tiently waits the growth Of treo OF mind.
We fail to evoke the noble life which gave
US this great benefactors Of the age who
forget themselves to live for posterity. Such
Is every adorne Of bis farm, his street or
vllage with trees. Having made welcome
home for the BIRDS they seem to carol
forth his name, and could the animals
speak, when sheltered FROM tho sun that
"smites by day" and shielded from the
storms Of winter, he should have a recog
milton.
Fruit culture would be rendered doubly
certain by the protection which groves
would afozd, and the wondsOus climate 10.
Huence Of trees would be regarded, which
has properly enlisted tlso most ssgAcious
monarchs OF the Old World in efforts to
protect their forests and insure their plant
ing where vandalism had laid them waste.
In our climate fuel costs the prairie farm
er more than his bfesd. It need not. when
he shall have for ten years given up few
of his fertile acres to q grove. Need our
children cross the streams on bridges made
from the pineries of Michigans Must our
manufactures Of carriages and iarming i'm
ptCtuSusS w ucpCuuCuts uVWu " SuV lokoss
me, - sAs eaPeics u -the owners Of for.
ss,s huudreds Of miles distautf More than
sixty mechanical ocespa,ions which should
have homo on the prairiss will Be depend
ent upon tho skill and ensrey Of those who
are moved to plant sAa cherish the groves
which may early take rank in utility and
value &itb ether The grassse, NE grains, OF
the domestic xnimsls, which ere intimately
related TO the wealth cod psespssity Of OUT
commonwealth
The State. With : rational policy, cannot
BE- Indifferent to tree culture Will~six
millions Of peop ., or three, divide the bur-
denS u our tzxsg1nd shASU tue bisssink1
Of our good govsfnnssot her, is AsqnesG61
10 be answered By the early planting Of for.
ests. Few of the useful arta. cen have ex
issencs without wood a11 what Stnk6o
would have 10 sisk int object dspsndsnce
when there 10 broad highway 70 indspend.
sncs and renowni We can dlspspoe With
the shadows Of the mountain home, end for
the ssa have Substitutes Of vsvine Prairie
harvests. They call our cern-bearina
plains but the prose Of The earth, whes the
State BY premiums aud exemption fren
taxes may DOT our land with poetic abodss
whess she Hills, If not the mountains. "shal
I rs.F