Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-06-06
Floods and their Causes.

Some recent foods in the Eastern
States seem to have renewed the
discussion, among savants, as to
their cause being mainly attributed
to the increased destruction of forests
along the head waters of the princi-
pal rivers. Prof. G. S. Sargent, Di-
rector of the Botonic Garden Of
Harvard University, has written on
article on Forestry" in the Nation,
in which he takes strong ground
against the wanton destruction now
going on in the Northwestern States
and on the Pacific coast. He is of
the opinion that forests may be, in q
great measure, reproduced in the
Atlantic States through the joint eff
forts of individual intelligence and
legislative action. But we cannot
hope that such appliances will have
corresponding good effect here, or
anywhere west Of the Rocky noun
tains. Much has already been done
in the way of forest planting i'll
many of the valuable prairie dis
tricts of Illinois, Wisconsin and
Iowa. Birch, beach, maple, cotton
wood, walnut and poplar will thrive
we'll if due cay" llc taken in the
proper adaptation Of soil to the kind
of timber tor which it is to furnish
the elements of sustenance and
growth. The all-important item to
be observed in forest-raising, is the
necessary protection of the young
trees from the ravages of browsing
fiocks and herds. If the seeds or
young trees are planted upon lands
that cannot well be spared, in the
mean time, from being utilized for
the purpose of raising crops or pas
ture land, then they must he thorogh-
ly guarded by stout lattice-boxes, at
least, six feet high. Nothing short
of ample protection, in the start,
should be tolerated. OF course, it
may seem to be an expensive bust
ness to thus raise forest trees, but
WEI must remember that we are
working mainly for posterity, as we
hope our immediate successors will
be influenced to provide for those
who come after them. There are
three principal elements now at work,
either Of which would, in time, ut
terly destroy the forests that clothe
the western slope OF the Sierra Ne
vada mountains. These are the
woodlands axe, the accidental and
purposely kindled fires and the herds
of browsing animals that do not al
low young shrub or seeding tree
to survive. California may we'll
boast of her millions of dollars in
vested in superior breeds of sheep;
but every Summer that they are
driven up into the foothills of the
Nevadas they browse, to almostutter
extinction, the young forest-tree
shoots of the year before. Thus it
will he seen that, while fire and the
vandalism of man are denuding
thousands of acres of valuable wood
land every year, millions of sheep,
goats and young cattle are thwarting
nature in her kindly efforts to inau-
gurate, annually, new growth of
Seeding trees. Prof. Sargent urges
the necessity of something being
done by our General Government
while yet there is something to be
reclaimed. There are, fortunately,
large portions of timber land skirt
ing the western slopes of the Nevada
and Cascade mountains yet in the
possession of our Government, and
if nothing else can be done to avert
the impending evil, these timber
lands should be withdrawn from the
market and set aside for preserva-
ton. We believe the matter is fast
tending towards this necessary ac-
ton, and the sooner the important
step is taken, the better will it be
for the immediate and remote future
OF this Pacific section of the Union.
The evils to which we have alluded
are not so glaringly apparent, per-
haps, in Oregon and Washing Terri
tory as in California, but it is only q
question of time, along this part of
the coast, in view of the present
elements at work.