The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-02-19
Forest Preservation.

We have heretofore. published numer-
Gus articles, selected or original, bearing
upon the great and growing importance
of the question of tile future timber sup,
ply of this country. The fact is now
generally admitted, that our vast forests,
once supposed inexhaustible, have already
been and are still being. destroyed to SO
great an extent that the very next genera
alton is likely to find its supply of wood
insufficient, unless some great change, at
present not probable, takes place in our
modes of life, SO hattie demand for wood
in all its mnltiform uses shall be very
greatly decreased, or unless the supply
be largely increased.
Attention has been already attracted to
one branch of the problem Of future. sup
p,y,-tliat of encouraging new planta-
lions; especially in the almost treeless
regions between the Missouri and the
Rocky Mountains. 1t is probable that
some effectual plan of Government en-
couragement of that very necessary work
may be adopted. Even without it, the
efforts already inaugurated by Railroad
corporations owning large grants of land,
and by individual settlers planting small
groves for their OWL use, are likely to
work wonderful metamorphosis in the
next generation.
i The importance of the planting branch
of the supply question can scarcely be
over estimated, and we wish to see it still
urged until its pressing necessity shall be
still better understood. than now, and still
more active and general measures shall
be adopted to meet it.
Meanwhile, we cannot help thinking
the idea is too generally and easily Dis
carded as hopeless of doing .semethfng
effectual to preserve the natrlrM forests
which we yet have. In European coun-
tries, as we understand, especially in the
continental ones, great tracts of forests
are retained strictly in the hands of the
State, which preserves and fosters their
growth, prevents their indiscriminate and
wasteful destruction, and in fact controls
and regulates the periodical cutting of
the crops of timber as carefully and
strictly as the individual farmer does of
his crops of grain.
| We suspect it has been too easily taken
for granted that nothing of this kind is
possible in this country. The arbitrary
and severe forest regulations by which
some of the old nations have guarded
their woodlands have established preju-
dice in our minds against the mode of
attaining the end, which perhaps has un.
necessarily extenued to the END itself.
Our. Goffnmsntss estate or Nsfi4nel)
ought,t0 be competent to the accomplish.
ment, directly or by indirect agencies, OF
whatever public objects the welfare of the
whole people demands. ana the neces
SHY OF providing q timber supply is be
coming so obvious and pressing that it il
quite time for The Government Cybichr i
the people themsefvesy to begin TO con
slider what may be rightly and wisely
done by the Government to meet 1t.
Why cannot the present policy of sell
ing off the public lands as rapidly as pos
sible be changed, at least 80 far as the
avoided lands are concernedi Why can
not it be modified, az to them, ~ least &c
far as to make the sale of the timber only
reserving the land to the Governnent'
In the management Of private property
it is an everyday affair for the owner o.
woodland los sch the TOO fleaye 1of Z
tract, reserving the land with the express