Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-11-26
Wood and Water.

One of the most interesting and valuable
of recent congresses is that of the land and
forest cultivators at Vienna. The Italian,
Dutch, German, Belgian, French, Hungari-
an people and governments were represented,
and the United States had deputy present
who was probably self-appointed. There
were about four hundred members, and the
chief point of the discussion was the preser-
vatiOn of the forests as protection OF the
water supply. 1t is d subject in which this
country is not less Interested than Europe.
Already in many parts OF New Engiand
there is a serious decline in the supply of
water, and the value of trees for something
else than lumber or sugar is making itself
plainly felt The volume of water in the
Ohio is stated in the report of the congress
to be evidently diminishing The same is
true of the Hudson, upon which the extent
of navigable water is yearly reduced. In the
old world the summer low water mark OF
the Elbe in 1887 showed a diminished supply
in half a century of ten feet. The Rhine
and the Ober have likewise declined
The facts presented to the congress are
striking. Many rivers have entirely disap-
peared, or are shrunken to little streams.
In Palestine the springs are dry The Jor-
dan IS four feet lower than IN former days
Greece has suffered severely from the fall OF
the forests. In Hungary the drought is pc
riodical. Sardinia and Sicily have lost their
ancient fruittulness. On the other hand.
there were formerly but five or six days OF
rain during the year in the Delta OF lever
Egypt, bat since Mehemet Ali planted some
twenty millions of trees, the number OF
rainy days is forty-fve or six. Ismalia,
upon the Suez Canal, was built upon sa idy
desert, but since the ground has been satura-
-..I> h,,r nd loofs
have gown, and with the appearance OF
of vegetation the climate has changed Four
or five years ago. says the report. rain was un-
known in these regions but in the year from
May, 1868, to May, 1869, there weIe fourteen
, days of rain. SO, also, near Trieste, finely
wooded region was desolated By the Vene-
tlans, and twenty-five years ago rain had
ceased to fall. But ID save the country from
total abandonment, the Austrian government
planted several millions of olive-trees. The
very soil was conveyed in baskets; but, with
care. the trees took root and thrIved. liz Is
stated also that the conversion OF the desert
of Utah into blooming country has raised
the Salt Lake seven teet above its old level.
Such facts, collected from every country
facts of forest destruction and coincldent de-
!, cline of the water supply, with the further
D tact that rivers are independent of national
. lines-have suggested the wisdom of intern a.
tional action. The Austrian Minister OF
, Agriculture was president OF the congress,
and he was authorized to communicate with
other governments TO secure International
agreement upon the subject. The resolu.
: tions declare that only by such international
| action can the increasing devastation OF the
n forests, with all its consequences, be stayed
: that 1t is the mutual duty OF civilized state:
TO preserve carefully the forests that are oil
: vital importance to the land, such as thoS'
at the sources aud along the courses OF riy
u ers, upon sea-coasts and steep mountain
= sides; and that International prIneIpies
IT should be laid down, to which the owner
OF such guardian forests should be SUBJECT
n The congress recJgnIzei that il had not a
e yet sufficient knowledge of all the evils re
- sulting from TINS devastation, and demande(
{, more copious and exact data. The impor
e tance OF the movement Is that It command
0f attention to a subject which has bIthert
| had no associated and imposing presentat
Is In this country especially 1t should be mos
i, carefully considered, because while So muci
woodland remains, ii is still devastated witt
D" reckless ignorance. The agricultural paper
III and the c4ttle-show orators could do no NOR
q signal service than TO point out the reality
n and the reaS IN and the extent of the evil
d rhe Agricultural Department at Washington
Is will, We hope, think it worth some effort {
keep the agricultural community iniorme
OF the action consequent upon the congres:
in whose deliberations We see the dawn of
better day for the trees and the birds, thos
4 TWO faithful and useful friends of the Ameri
:, can farmer which he has too long disregarde1
H. - Harper S Weekly.