Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-04-17
The Preservation OF Forests.

In an article with the above title In the
North american ReView, Felix L. Os.
wald, after reviewing the disastrous ef.
destruction OF forests in various coun-
tries OF the world, remarks that since
the year 1896 the forest area Of the
Western hemisphere has decreased at
the average yearly rate Of 1900, 900
acres, or about II 400 square miles in
the United States alone this rate has
advanced from 1,600 square miles in
1896 to 7, 900 in 1856, and &, 400 in 1876.
Between 1850 and 1896 the total aRere.
gate OF forests felled in South and Cen
tral America Especially in Southwestern
Mexico, and in the Eastern, Southern
and Southwestern States Of our republic,
may be estimated at from 45, 0OO, 900 to
90, 900, 900 acres. In other words, We
have been wasting the moisture supply
OF the American soil at the average ratio
OF seven per cent. for cacr quarter Of q
century during the last one hundred
and twenty-five years, and are now fast
approaching the limit beyond which any
further decrease will affect the climatic
phenomena Of the entire continent.
II we consider how the agricultural
products Of the eastern continents be-
come from year TO year hiore inadequate
to the wants Of their till.growing popu-
latioD, we may forsee the time when the
hope oi the world will dcpendupon the
productivenesB OF the American soil /;
but that productiveness depends on the
fertilizing influence Of the American
forests. If they are gone VIC shall ave
on earth no newer world 10 hope Ior-
no future Columbus can alleviate the
struggle fer existence. To stay such n
catastrophe the author suggests that in
every township, where the disappear
ance Of arboreal vegetation begins to af-
feet the perennial springs aud water
courses or the fertility OF the fields, a
space OF fifty acres should be appropri
ated for township grove" en- oasis
to be coasecrated forever TO shade trees,
birds nests, picnics and playing chill !
dreu. In all new settlements, where a
remnant oi the primeyRl forests has sur
viyed, let the woods on the upper ridges
or on the SUBMITS Of isolated hills be
spared by mutual agreement OF the pro
prietorE. In the treeless regions Of the
great West not only the amateur socie
@'-t N''tt binAS' INV A+tAH
union Of every county, should devote
themselves TO the work Of tree culture
and every landed proprietor should see
TO II that the boundaries Of his estates
be set with shade trees, and that the
wooden fences be supplanted by quick
set he1ges. Let fruit trees be planted
wherever there is a piece Of ground
neither otherwise occupied nor absolute
ly barren and be sure that their inhu
ence on the atmosphere in summer and
their fcrtilizing leaves in fall will more
than indemnity the adjoining aolds for
the modicum Of sunlight they NAV in
tercepi. ANY State where these pre-
cautions should be generally adopted
would noon be so unmistakably distin-
guished by the uniailing humidity and
freshness oi it's fields and the abundance
Of its crops, that the sheer necessity ot
competition would induce backEar
neighborH 70 try The experiment. and be-
/ fore long the maxim would not only be
generally recognized, but generally act
ed upon, that husbandry and tree cul
ture are iuscpara le Scientific ABaer
/ icdF.