The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-23
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New York Evening Post
Nj. B. g. Northrop, Secretary Of the
State Board Of Education Of Connecticut,
whose good service in the cause Of tree
culture in New England has receiyedfre.
quent recognition in the columns Of the
Eteaing post, visited Europe last summer
for the purpose Of studying forestry in
the quarters where that science has the
most attention. Carrying with him letters
from the Governor OF Connecticut and
the Federal Secretary Of State, he had the
best opportunities for observation and
inquiry, and the practical results Of his
tour are summed'up In a paper on Econ.
omic Tree Planting" which will form n
part Of the report OF the Secretary Of the
Connecticut State Board OF Agriculture
for the current year.
From this paper it appears that Ger
many stands frat among the Continental
nations in the literature Of forestry, 1875
volumes on this subject having been pub.
liShed in that country before the year
1912, and an average Of 100 works being
the yearly increase in later times; Spain
probably comes next in rank, with her
1925 volumes; and the ono sandy plains
south Of BerliD, now fertile and blooming,
and the check given TO the rayages Of the
waves on the Biscayan coast, tell their
own story Of the advantage accruiug to
these two countries from their painstak-
ing study Of %aboriculture. Even among
the Russians, a people to whom we are
not accustomed to look for advanced ideas,
the science Is making rapid strides, its
work being the reclamation oil vast step
pes and resistance to the enctoachments
Of the inland seas. Every Que familiar
with the laws OF England knows what
strict provisions guard her grand old trees
from destruction; and 1t would be well
II, with the introduction OF other good
institutions from the mother country, We
had put into the American statute'books
some OF these regulations, founding them,
not on the rights Of succession 10 real
property, but on q decent forecast for the
public welfare.
The question Of the influence Of lie for
eats on the rainfall Of any given districts
is still moo,ed among men OF science; but
Mr.. Nothrop quotes the statements OF per.
Sous who have repeatedly observed with
their owu eyes the coincidence Of the re.
moyal Of forests with the drying up OF
springs and rivers, 10 India aud in other
parts Of the world where prolonged
dronghts have ended in disaster. more
over, whatever may be said as to the pos.
tive effect Of trec.tops on passing clouds,
we believe it Is not denied that, the rains
having once decended and waiered the
earth, a forest belt puts a perceptible
check upon evaporation by winds aud
sun.
Some very interesting facts are given
10 the paper before us concerning the var.
ieties OF trees which ought to be planted
when certain ends are in view. The dur
ability Of the European larch, for exam
pie, is attested by its use in Venice, where,
10 the form OF piles immersed in water,
II has supported for centuries some Of the
most imposing masses OF architecture that
meet the travellers eye. Mr.-Northrop
also treats his subject practically by sug.
costing experiments, which might be made
a. a little expense Of money, time, and
patience in his own State and in others
where large tracts OF naked ground have
become parched and sterile.