Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-12-20
ARsoRlC m 1oA.-

e1VNu Ill lyl0l0Br-
cnce to tree culture which can Gnd ~
rational Justification. Culpable With
others, let me seek to awaken q pub.
ia sentiment on this subject
1 have made personal observation
IN sixty of our n hundred counties
and examined the official field no,es
OF Iowa, to arrive at the conclusion
that but n in ten of our counties
a. . sufiiciency Of timber, and even
these arc losing rather than increasing
tnelr supply. Our increase of popu.
iatlon Is an establishment to the older
States, and the advance in the mum.
Der and market value of our animals
as developed by the census /; the rich.
readily titled Soil and numerous peren.
nal springs ; motive power in our
rivers, and ample coal fields cannot be
set e to fully meet that objection
which is made to nj prairie country
want Of timber" Objection can.
not well be made to our climate since
rom this date-late in November
We count weeks Of almost continuous
Indian Summer. and such exemptions
as IS our fortune from diseases NAV
be set over in compensation against a
few days Of wintry winds and storms.
The early objections made to the State
IN lack of facilities for business and
the transportation OF products are not
now valid. -Four lines of railway. if
not i've, will soon cross the State from
the Mississippi to the Missouri. ST.
Louis and st. Paul are sure to be iron.
lined by n or more routes. A Sec
ton of country fast developing will
demand an early extension Of the
keokuk q Valley road mp the Des
Moines to st. Peters River and to the
pine forests OF Minnesota; also a
southwestern branch from Minnesota.
Sioux City. distributing lumber anu
making the fourth Iowa connection
with the Union Pecifc; giving com.
%pleteness to q system ofimprovements
which will meet the demands of farm.
ers and tradcsmen of many States.
Our vulnerable point is a lack of tim.
Der for fuel and groves to meet the
requirements of good taste in adorn-
ing homes, not less than the absolute
demand Of the farmer, and what is
necessary to the mechanic and in the
construction of railroads. This de-
f%ciency in Iowa is represented BY an
area larger than the entire State of
Ohio. The supply in more favored
localities is being exhausted by the
demand for ties, and the erection of
fences and buildings. Pine lumber is
becoming less accessible and yearly
approaching in value. What can meet
this necessity Of timber for fuel and
the absolute demand OF mechanical in
terests. and of private and public en-
terprises on the twenty-five millions
Of acres Of our virgin soil now of lit
tie value AVA 10 nomadic tribes, or
herdsmen. who in a milder climate
can find q o congenial home?
Nothing short Of vigorous, scientific
and pratical arboriculture. A volume |
would be required to fully discuss this
subject; but in . column, l may say
there is involved II it. Esthetics.
General Utility, State Pride and
Sound Economy.
In climate fuel costs the prairie
Turner more than his bread. 1t need
not, when he shall have for ten years
given up . few Of his fertile acres TO
grove. Need our children cross the
streams on bridges made from the
pineries Of Michigan ? Must our man.
ufact prizes Of carriages and farming
implements be dependent down to the
latest time on the caprice of owners
Of forests hundreds of miles distant:
The State. with a rational policy
cannot be Indifferent to the tree cul-
ture. viii six millions of people, or
three, divide the burdens of our taxes
and share the blessings Of good gov
eminent here: is a question to be
answered by the early planting of
forests. Few of the useful arts can
have existence without wood and
what citizen would have US sink into
abject dependency VIXEN there is a
broad highway to independence and
renown?
Iowa, which has relatively the
least waste land of any State in the
Union, can afford through its govern
ment TO make these lands, which are
valueless. attractive and desirable for
homes. 1t vas my pleasure TO adyo-
cate In Washington the setting apart
of certain portions Of our prairie do
main for the scientific planting of
trees, and TO be divided with compan-
les who wonld cultivate forests. Ear
lier, in our State Legislature, l drafted
a bill such al l hope may yet become
law, and which has been enacted
subsequently in the State of Kansas.
1t provides that any person who shall
within ten years plant an acre or
more of prairie land With forest trees,
and cultivate the same for three wears,
Ahall receive an annual bounty Of two
dollars per acre for twenty-five years.
A like sum is to be paid for the plant
ing and cultivation of a good line of
trees along any highway for the dis
d If one half mile. Will our
sagacious Legislators follow SO noble
an example? 8
The Hon. John / Blair informs me
that it 10 his purpose the next season
to have the ground prepared for trees
on either side of his branch OF the Pa
ci6c Railroad now being constructed
from Council Bluffs to Sioux City.
This will be another attestation of
his sagacily and enterprise, who now
stands foremost among our State ben
efactors.
Let me not elaborate. and only with
the logic Of figures makes q practical
exhibit of what can be done:
About $500 ties OF wood to the
mile are a necessity to our railroads,
and these must be supplied at an H.
terval of from FIVE to ten years. Each
lie in the future will cost on an aver
age not less than one dollar. 1t seems
now conceded that the State will re-
quire that railroads shall be fenced,
which will require not less than 1870
70 the mile. Then follows the annral
loss of fences by fires which is es,ima-
ted at from five to ten per cent each
year. Snow fences too, are a necessity
at . large cost.
How can these wants Of our great
highways be met? The answer il, BY
tree cultivation, and at q great saving