Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-02-16
For the Bulletin.
Cultivation Of Forests.

For the Bulletin.
Cultivation Of Forests.
EDITOR BULLETlN:-I see in the
BULLETIN Of the End, a notice for a
Horticultural meeting the 7th in
Independence, for the purpose of
organizing Society. I am pleased
to learn of such an organization. l
do not learn what territory is in
tended to be embraced in the Soei-
ETY., but conclude it will be the 7th
district. I regret that l could not
attend this, its first meeting, as l
am feeling more than common in
terest in anything pertaining to po-
mology.
There is perhaps no subject Of SO
much Importance to our people as
the planting of "forcst trees" Trees
for timber, trees for their climate
influence, trees for shelter, trees for
ornament and trees for fruit.
That trees are essential to civil.
lization, all must admit. 1t is esti-
mated by those who have given
more thought to this subject, that
a country calculated for the habita-
ton of civilized people, must have
at least one-fifth of its area covered
by some kind of forest.
That portions of the Romish EN-
pire, once densely populated and
very productive as farming coun-
try, are now uninhabitable and a
barren waste from the destruction
of it's forests, is fact. Blangue,
a French writer, speaking of the de-
struction of the forests in certain
portions of France, says he found
not a living soul in districts where
he enjoyed hospitality thirty years
before; the last inhabitant being
compelled to retreat when the last
tree fell. a..
The rulers of those European
countries have seen and felt these
evils, and are replanting large tracts
of those barren lands, and are in
part already retaining them. II
those are facts in Europe, will not
the same causes result in the same
facts here? Ihe evils Of removing
too much Of our natural forests are
already being felt in many of our
older States; and do we not, here in
Iowa Jour beautiful young State)
see our small streams drying up.
and the larger rivers growing less,
as what little timber is found along
their banks is removed; and l ask
with these facts facing us, if this
question is not an important one to
our people? Do they ever realize
that Iowa pays more money to other
countries for building material Qum
ber) than all else Il came near say
ing)? She buys from abroad, and
instead Of one-fifth of her area Gov
cred with forests, has less than one
fiftieth.
Some may, will ask, how these
things are to be remedied. l an
swer, plant trees, and raise timber
for all our uses. That farmer, to
borrow an expression, who has
worked out half his farm on the ten
miles Of road to his timber lot
hauling all his fuel, fencing, and
every little stick used on that farm
for the last twenty years, had he
fifteen years ago, planted ten acres
of "forest trees" and a little care
not over four years after, would
now not only have that forest te
shelter himself and family, as wei
as his stock from our cold winter
winds, it taking less fuel to warn
him and family as well as less tod
der for his stock, besides, he would
have timber for all his uses and not
be compelled to work out the bal
ance of that farm on the timber
road.
l can't take time here to give 9
list of the best timber and the
proper modes Of culture that obser
ton and experience tell me arc
best, but say, plant evergreens fol
shelter. They cost less and are
better than any other. Leave cot
tonwoods on the banks of the
streams to serve the purpose they
were designed for, to hold the rain
fall in reservoir and those banks
from washing away, but plant Sofl
Maple, Hard Maple, Ash, Butternut
Walnut, Box-Elder, Larch, White
Pine and Scotch Pine, and every
thing else you choose for ornament
but l say it is duty every farmer
Of Iowa owes himself, his family
and Iowa, to plant forest and fruit
trees. Some time l will try and
give your readers what / consider
the most practical modes of planting
and culture of forest trees.
J. L. MORT.
Postville, Feb. I, 1872.