Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-02-12

The constant and reckless destruction of
our forests Is fast bringing us 10 cond-
ton In which there will be occasion for
real alarm. 1t is not probable that any
Scare like that which few years ago
went over England, concerning the pros
pective exhaustion Of her coal supply, will
immediately occur in America, touching
the loss Of our forests; but we wish some.
thing near enough approaching 1t might
happen to stop work that il full of evil
promise.
In the whole Uuited States there is len
but one really great tract of timber. II
lies at the far extreme of our country, and
consists of about one-halr of Washington
Territory and third of Oregon. Calilor-
mia has, perhaps, 100000 acres Of forest
now, of which fully one-half has been cut
away within the last two or three years.
Here in New York we have no consider
able forest left except in the Adirondack
region. Our wealth Of maple, walnut, and
hickory is substantially gone, and large
part OF it has been wautonly destroyed.
Wisconsin had a magnificent forest growth
hut the people are sweeping it away at
h'si 'NiohNlN ldl'lu lSANs OlG DllllOu ltel
of timber were cut in single year. 1t will
not take more than decade or two at the
utmost TO fairly exhaust this source of
wealth to The State. Michigan and Min
nesota are following in the same course,
slashing away at their forests as if tree
had no right TO liz its head One of our
most intelligent Army officers, Gen. Bris-
bin, who knows the Western country
thoroughly, and to whose accurate know-
edge OF this subject we are indebted for
many facts, says that 10000 acres of Wis
consin timber are cut annually 10 supply
the Kansas and Nebraska markets alone.
The Saginaw forests arc even now prac;.
cally destroyed, and If tue Northern PACT
fic Railway is built, it will omen up to the
AK the one remaining belt of American
timber, in Oregon and Washington Terri
tory.
The railroads have been the great de-
stroyers OF our forests. They use one hum
dred and sixty millions of ties annually
that means the leveling of at least $50, 900
acres Of trees. The timber they use, also,
is not the refuse or the inferior but among
the very best, fine young trees, eight 10
ten inches in diameter. The Union Pacific
Company undertook at first TO lay their
road with cottonwood ties, drawn from
the occasional wooded canons along the
line of the road. One consequence of this
was shown in our Washington dispatch the
other day, regarding the Legislation TO he
asked from Congress for the relief of the
road. The Government Commission ap-
pointed 10 examine the line reported that
ii was not completed within the terms of
the law. The use of these soft-wood ties
was held Ivy them 10 he on evasion of con-
tract, and Government patents for the
lands granted along two or three hundred
miles of the road have accordingly been re-
fused. The settlers who have bought the
lands can get no titles from the company,
for it las none. This looks bad for our
forests, since il means lie ultimate destruc-
ton of thousands Of acres Of more good
timber 10 replace the condemned ties
which have already swept of large part
Of the few precious growths OF this compar.
atively treeless region. Hit is remember
cd that ties have to be renewed every sew
en- years, the extent of the demand on our
forests VIII be appreciated. When 10000
miles more of rails have been laid, il will
require all the young trees in the country
TO supply the demand for ties.
Fences are also enormous consumers of
trees. In the East we aIe learning in this
regard economy from necessity, but in the
West, in some States, the farmers cut
down the forests with scarcely more
thought than they harvest their grain.
The fences of the United States, people
may not generally know, have cost more
than the lands, and are TO- day the most
valuable class of property, save railroads
and real estate in cities. Illinois alone haH
annually Sl75, 600 for repairs. In Nebras-
ka, where excellent herd laws are in force.
the necessity for fences has been so much
lessened that the fences of the Slate cost
less in proportion 10 population than 10 any
other in the Union.
The outrageous waste Of timber caused
by the telling of forests and burning of the
trees TO bring the land under cultivation
goes on still at a fearful rate. From 1850
10 1870 no less than trcipe million acres of
forest were Tins wantOnly DESTROYED For
luel also vast tracts are leveled of their
trees. II took 10000 acres Of fOr,s ST TO sup.
ply Chicago with fuel in one wear, 1871.
Our annual decrease of forest from all
these causes is not far from 8, 900 900 acres,
Yet we plant only 10000 acres of new for
ests a year. ...
The necessity Tor a Commission u For
estry. and the need of efficient laws lin all
the States for the preservation of our for
ests, need no further Argument than these
fciS.-N. y. Times.