Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-11-22
What Has HecOme of the Timber
of the Country

What Has HecOme of the Timber
Of the COunIry9
Jackson Repo, teri
Within the recollection of many o.
our older citizens, this country pre-
sented a vast forest Of the finest tim
her to be found indigenous to this
climate, and in a much greater variety.
The majestic oak, in It's different
sprcies, that seemed to have detied
the storms of centuries, waved from
the hill-tops and the valleys, while
che tai poplar lowered towards the
heavens and added grandeur and
beauty to the scene. Prospecting par.
ties from the older states would some
times come, and return to their native
heath With a catalogue of objections
to the country, chief among them
beiug-"too much timber and too
much labor required to open farms.
Those who came and remained were
possessed of a determination and a
VIII to conquer the timber objections,
ard r,gAt well have they doue it
They taught their children that the
only way to get rid and ssav rid G
this monster, was to cut. deauen, say,
fell and burn; and this dispoition
haI been transmitted from father TO
ssn, until many have been forced
! move to new countries or account {
The scarcity Of timber in some SCI
tons.
1t has never been a gu ho1 fcr ne
Sc ..ous consideration Of our people
until within the past few years. Tney
seemed to have been brought to a lst
realization of the situation and a
proper appreciation of the r~apidlv-de-
c easing quantity Of the timber o. our
country. Should the present genera
ton prove as reckless and prOA'1ete
with the timber as tde one preceoing,
what will the next do2 This is the
question just now, aud a very
pertinent one. Already we her com
plants of an insuficiency Of timber to
L ep up feCcing and do n2ce a.y
building, etc., and the people are
clamorirg for a fence law. If this
wholesale vase and extravagant u. e
continues, a fence law will .soo1 be n
actual demand, for the timber will be
ms Efficient.
If the farmer will sit down aud
make a fair estimate Of the marke.
value Of the timber in his rails and
add to this the prices Of the labor re
quired in making and keeping up re-
pairs, and then estimate the value G.
his own apd his neighbors' stock that
is TO be kept of his crops, in nine case
out Of ten lie will find his fences worth
NOR tfan all the stock against which
these barriers are erected. But this is
not the question before us. The
question to be solved by every one
owning timber lands is: The b t and
most PRACTICAL mode Of preserving the
timber on hand and replacing that
which has been taken away. Blu.
many will say, here is enough for my
lifetime. Does every man who plants
an orchard plant for himself only? If
he did, one or two trees would supply
him with abundant fruit. We are not
to live for ourselves, but to hand the
country down to the succeeding gen
Grafton in asgood condition as we re-
Ceived it. Hence we should econo
mize in this great essential and where
great scarcity exists, supply more by
planting and cultivating trees.
But some will say: This is too slow.
and it will require a quarter Of a cen
fury for timber thus planted and cul-
waited 10 come into use.
Did you know that this method has
been resorted TO in some countries anC
proved more rapid and successful thar
was at first expected2
For more than a century some nor
+tions Of Europe have been supplied
with timber for fuel and building pur-
poses that is cultivated with as mucl
care as the trees Of the American
orchards.
Such necessities do not exist in any
portion Of our country yet, but tn,
most casual observer can see that sucl
necessity is not far distant unless tn,
present generation becomes more eco.
nomical in the use Of the timber tina
is leSt The talk Of an exhaustiblC
supply belongs TO the sayings ofth,
plsS and must not enter into the rep.
reservations Of the present, for it il
rapidly being exhausted by permittin;
: it to fall and decay and when fire.
t wood or q rail tree is wanted the greer
, timber is attacked. II is wasted il
burning hcaps in the fields while thu
family sit before a blazing fire of greer
wood. Let us remember that a gen
Grafton is to follow and il is our dut
to use economy that they may not b
the sufferers from u pro9igaey.