The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-11-24
Destruction OF the Forests.

Those who observe at all must be aware
how very fast The forests are being swept
away in this region of New York. Journey
along the Great Ridge Road from Oswego
to the Niagara River, and Lake Ontario
can be seen from the elevation nearly half
the distance. Twenty years ago the lake
could rarely be seen from the ridge al any
point. II Is not the region between the
ridge and the lake that j. alone being de-
nuded OF timber, bat II is the same every
where W bat the consequence of this de
structlon OF the forests Inay be i not GER
tain. None who have studied the cues
ton in the least augjr good from this
course, and most predict positive injury by
making he climate more cilangeable and
deletcri0us to health.
y Writerin the 81 Louis Republican gives
some interesting statistics regarding this
matter. illustrating the effect OF the rash. and
sometimes WantOn destruction of the forest
trees. In 1868, 2,029.312 255 feet of lum-
Der were cut in Michigan, 3l4.2O0.O0O in
Minnesota, 96i.000.000 in Wisconsin. To
get this total G.3l .:}s2 .2j5 feet no less than
oS3,Oj3 acf ), or 1880 square miles
OF land have been denuded OF their pine
trees. 1t is estimated that there are In
Wisconsin 100000 acres. in Michigan
+'pJV,VOO, and in Minnesota 100000 still
standing. The total amount of lumber
these viii yield is estimated at 5s,612.J 800
VVo ieei, sufficient TO supply tie demand
for fifteen years. ii this rate Of destrqlc-
lion, Il few Years viii find those new States
as denuded of their forests as New
York and the other old States. I'm Maine
there is hardly White pine to be seen.
most of the demand being supplied bv
Michigan. New York, which few vears
ago was great lumber Stale, has no pine
forests left and has to depend upon the lake
regions of the West and Canada for her
supply. HemlOck and spruce, in large
quantities, are yet 10 be found in the
northern counties OF this State. and are
substituted for the vanished pine In
few years more the only place for white
pine Will he Canada, where there i q large
region yet untouched by the Woodlands
axe; and yet the reckless careleSsncSs and
waste go ON. This uncovering of the face
of the earth renders rain less frequent. and.
when il does arrive il comes in the shape
of a deluge, and produces, alternately. the
opposite extremes of burning dr0uihs and
destructive foundations These evidences
OF changing climate are becoming more
frequent as the destruction OF the forests
proceeds. In India, and in other parts of
the world, the same result has followed the
disappearance OF the trees. Regions that
previously were OF the most fertile ciiarsc-
ter have become entirely Invested Of her
bage, and are low barren deserts 4 SINH
lar fate in the United States can only be
avoided by restoring in measure to the
denuded country a portion of lis forest
trees. The State OF Kansas i making an
effort to ameloIatc the evil by offering re-
wards of merit 10 those who will engage
in the rearing of plantations. i cores
ponding action by the other States would
save us from the sore troubles in store
shn'-l1 tia n's4,a's' i',,',ra'1or' Sv~.a-,,. Ut
" gr.t.