The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-08-27
WHOLE NO. l46S


Our sympathy reaches to the small
but growing number who for some
years past have sought to turn public
attention to the rapid waste of SO i'm.
portant a wealth and adjunct Of
wealth as the forests of this State and
country. The consumption OF lum-
Der has increased four-fold within the
last twenty years, and the feeling
has of course grown in the same ra-
ito. All the cid forest growth in ac-
cessible counties has been cleared of
and later growths have shared the
same fate, and regions that were and
still are almost inaccessible are being
denuded.
Young plantations are recklessly
destroyed, and annually fires devas-
tate and disforest large tracts. The
destruction is not wholly domestic,
either, for New York draws more and
more largely from our northern tier
of counties, and New Jersey from the
eastern and central, and local receipts
at this port are turned into ship
ments. Nor is there any sufficient
Offset in new plantations, while the
forests of Michigan and Wisconsin,
on which we have drawn, are being
swept away by equal waste. The
only relief from this state of things
is the transfer of considerable wood
lands to railroad and other corpora
tions, by which they are prudently
harvested and growth runs parallel
with destruction.
The most important fact in this
connection is that the fertility Of each
county decreases according to the
destruction of It's woodlands, after e
particular point has been reached.
This is directly traceable to the ef-
feet Of forests in the precipitation Of
moisture, and no other proof of the
relation is required than that given
in the Madeiras, where the inyalu-
able vineyards were destroyed when
the owners cleared all the laad to en-
large them. The same result has
been noticed in Italy, Spain, France
and Belgium, and laws have been
enacted to control Distressing in be-
half of agriculture. There is an OBJ
vious relation to the degree of heat
and violence of the wind in the
amount of the forests and both Of
these are causes of injury, as well as
results from it, and bear upon health
and business. The consumption of
lumber increases more rapidly than
population, and of no remote day
must reach point at ~hieh prices
will rale above profit flr N iny in
dustries.
This generation has grown with
the notion of its predecessors. that
our forests are inexhaustible, and is
surprised at the contradiction Ieader-
ed by prices when the lum er d. nand
is enlarging everywhere. IL Is high
time that the danger be forcibly im-
pressed, and that measures should be
taken to secure economy and restitu-
tion. There are large regions now
waste and worthless in exhausted
fields and pastures which may be
made pecnniarily profitable by pla-.-
ing them with trees. This is largely
done in Europe. The effect Of such
planting will be seen in greater hn-
midity, fertility and health, as well
as in larger forests; so that By the
close of the century the State will
not only be fairer to view, but richer
and stronger and better developed.
Every days delay augments an iDju-
ry already too great, and one that
reaches over to and hurts thousand
industries
If the people cannot be awakened
so that they will act voluntary, other
agencies must be employed. But
they will so act as soon as they know
the dangers they are causing. Eve
ry word spoken on the subjec. is edu
cational and of profound use, and the
speech should continue until the evil
is arrested, and forest culture takes
the place of wanton aste.--North
America.