Buchanan County bulletin and guardian., 1867-08-16
From the Rural New-Yors-:
Benefit Of Forests and Groves.

"a stitch in time saves nine" x 4
wise and homely old saying. WLan
that stitch depends on one person o.
ly-a thrifty housewife for instance
with prudcn forcthought she takes il
but when tie s,iich-the step, the
plan, or work, Ct whatever nature,
n eds unity aud concert of act on
among many, over wide distances,
the promptncss is wanting, and too
often the nine after stitch must be To-
ken to make all whole.
This is true in the highly important
matter Of forests and groves. ], Is
not yet wholly to late, and much labor
and loss can be saved ty aise aud
prompt action. To pioneer in the
forest tree was an enemy to be
snlitten down and burned on the blaz-
ing pile. as a sort of guilty usurpcr
" Tho had put kno,ty roots and tough
wood where the fine fbers of wheat
or corn roots ought TO spread their
meshes, and had raised aleaty barrier
to keep out the fertillzing sunlight
that so greatly helps ccrn to grow.
So the first work was-girdlc, cu,.
root out, burn-inake room for seed,
and plow and sunshine. All righ, IN
its time, but we are passing the pio-
neer stage over much Of the forest clad
part Of this country and thus can look
over the broad field and see what
change in climate and products has
been wrought by the pioneers AK, and
even Judge what limits should be put
to its use in the great forests that
have never yet echoed to its strokes
1t is beginning to be seen that a
region denuded of its forests and with
out groves, suffers from the sweep of
cold winds. freezing out tie very
roots of the tender wheat. and is La
ble also to deluging rains and fatal
droughts by turns,-to sharper and
more trying changes Of climate than
more shelterlng regions. The West
ern prairies are subject 20 rains and
droughts, both SO severe a. to be
drawbacks at times on their great
fertility; and they are shclterIess.
swept BY winds rushing from the icy
poles and the blazing tropics by turns
Awful storms rush over the great
plains beyond the Mississippi. where
the wind has nothing TO check its mad
career.
New York, Ohio and Michigan are
exposed to the sweep Of lake winds
other regions have dangerous expos
ures, it there be no safeguard inter-
posed. Take away Natures kindly
shield of leaves and limbs and sturdy
trunks and there is nothing to 'stem-
per the wind to the shorn lamb or
the growing crop, shorn also OF its
full richness. Signs of this are plain.
ly manifest now, ii We will bat bs
wise in time. An intelligent obsery-
cr wao has Travelled over Michigan in
different wears, has noted the fact,
that, in the Northern portion oi the
farming country, in the Grand River
Valley and vicinity where there is
stih forest shelter, the wheat is better
and more abundant than in ,he South.
ern part, whore the trees of the "oak
opening" have been cleaned away.
On soils of like native kind and r.
tility, where belt Of timber skirted
the north west the wheat would be
green and abundant: while fields,
open TO the cutting winters blast
would show but meager covering.
brown and sickly. From these ,x-
tended observations. lie judges the
loss. even nov, for want Of forest
shelter to be great. How much great
er In few years ii this prodigal de-
struetion Of trees goes on? And this
of course. is not limited 70 that region.
bat applies all over the land with
more or less force.
In Germany, government takes the
matter in hand. and officials are
chosen to see that forests are preseiy-
ed and groves planted with a view 10
shelter and amclioration Of climate
by decreasing the excess Of drought
and tcmpests of rain. In this coun.
try Government cannot act thus save
ia TerritoIi' 5. and private sasacity
and enterprise must do the work.
Hon. /. DoyEILY, NJ. G. of MINI.
offered valuable report and draft OF
a bill and resolutions on this matter
in his place in Congress year or
more ago. His proposal was. that
Government should see TO the pres
ervation of forests and the planting
of large groves on the slopes Of land
best adapted therefore on the great
Western plains, vet unsuryeyed and
unsold. His report gave facts of
great value and interest to show tie
need Of such 3 step. Dg. kfpziE. OF
Eaton county Michigan, made sim
liar report from q Committee of tie
Legislature at Lansing last winter.
urging Ike measures in that State.
and giving sound practical reasou~
and facts to justly and demand such
a plan.
Farmers, think Of this matter sooa.
On every farm Of hundred aer,,
FIVE or ten acres of trees. III righ,
places % save the rake Of cold winds.
and for shade 10 retain some moistnY,.
III tiiS mi. ouiQ liiS IiaAl
ssiuablc and productive than ii every
tree were gone and every foot tillea.
NeighhoIs. school district. towns AM
counties can unite in plans to plant
rows and clumps of trees on either OF
every road, and 10 much toward tbs.
end sought. In pasture fields. to-.
how grateful the shade to animals,
and how prescrvative TO sweet grass
the moisture that fingers around tic
woodlands. Every Fair in town, com
ty and State, should have this matter
up for discussion and for reports by
able and practical men, and thus
awaken a wise and timely sentiment.
and organize for speedy and practical
werk.
We should have said. IN speaking
Of the prairics. that IN Illinois aud
Wisconsin, and even further Wes';
the planting Of groves and orchards
has wrought already the best results
in the direction We have spoken OF,
and has added greatly 70 the beauty
OF prairie farms and homes, ,- Indeed.
were there no other and weightily
practical reasons, the added beauty OF
trees along the road side and else
where would pay for the labor need