Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-01-06
THE CULTIVATION OF FOREST TREES,

THE CULTIVATION OF FORESI IhEhs'
The cultivation of forest trees in Amerl-
ca is fast becoming a question OF general
interest and importance. In Europe ne
cessity compelled governments years ago
to offer special inducements for the culti-
walton of forests, and England and Scot
land to-day boast of thousands of acres of
pines, oaks and larches. Germany, at great
expense, has imported from California
seeds of the famous red wood, and has
growing on her soil to-day acres of forests,
cultivated by officers specially trained IN
their department. France, Russia and
Austria have been encouraging the same
enterprise.
The subject attracts attention III the
United States not only because in certain
sections of the country timber is becoming
scarce, but also for the influence of forests
upon the climate and healthfulness of the
country. Thus, on the prairies of some of
the Western States where forest cultiva-
ton has been encouraged by Legislation,
both for the timber and as a protection
against fierce winds, it has been demon
strated that great changes i'll the climate
and the capabilities of the country have re-
suited thereby. Plains that had beendestitute
of all verdure, by the building of villages
and the cultivation of forests have become
tillable, and beds of rivers dry nearly all
the year, become sparkling with running
streams.
We see it stated that the city of Denver
was built upon one of these parched plains
and that now a running stream passes
through it which it has been found neces-
sary to bridge. The great Salt Lake is now
some seven feet higher than it was ten
wears ago. For these results the cultiva
ton of forests has been greatly encouraged
in the West, so that it is now officially
stated that one hundred and fifty millions
of forest trees are annually planted in the
prairie States.
The rapid denudatfOn of some of the
heavier timber regions by the enterpris
ing Iumbermen has alarmed many think
ing persons and caused much discussion al
to the policy of beginning at once to en-
courage not only the cultivation of fOres
trees, but to restrain, as far as practicable
the great waste Of valuable timber an
nually taking place. 1t has been estimat
ed that there is annually cut and shipped
from the upper peninsula of Michigan
and the State of Wisconsin, near two bill
lion feet of timber. To supply this guam
tity of lumber, two hundred Thousand
acres of forests are cut down every year
Taking the number of trees annually
planted in the West, they would cove
but one hundred and fifty thousand acres
making the area annually planted fifty
thousand acre less than the area denude(
in the single district herein before named
There is, of course, millions of acres o
timber land not yet touched, but the fig
ures, SO far as complied, give suf1cien
grounds upon which to base timely legis
Iation for the encouragement of this grea
and as yet new department of agriculture
In this connection it is well enough t.
suggest what has seemed to us lmportan
to the South, and that is whether or no
the gradual change going on in the char
acter of our forests will not in due time
make radical changes in our soil. 1t Is /
fact well known, we suppose, that al
through the South wherever the pine for
ests are cut down, oak forests spring up il
their place. 1t has seemed to us that from
these oak forests the annual contribution
Of vegetable matter to the soil must IL
time make the changes above suggested
one in its final results to affect materially
the character of our agriculture.