Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-08-18
Forests.
IIEDI.KY's.

Three hundred years ago the ring of the
woodlands axe was new sound on this
continent Splendid, indeed, WAS the legacy
of forests which the dying red man bequeath-
ed to the pale-iaccd inhertors Of his lands.
Mountains were garrisoned by veteran trees
whose birthdays were centuries apart, while
the babbling ripples Of the valley streams
were answered by the whispers oi the great
woods through which they passed., on to
their graves in the ocean. Types oI the
forest primeval" could be seen On every
hand.
Blu: the greatest fortunes may be squan-
der'.i, as We are iikcly L. iini " our cost
) rrtktss iEs ueea tls; warfare, 50 enor'
nous the denialid np'm a.c timber of our
country, that the supply bids fair Ia fail IN the
not far distant future. the clearing Of Land
for cu.tiva,ion the breaking upM pestilcn.
tial swanps, the Use Of wood IN myriad
ways for the purpose Of civilization, all this
was necessary And will venture " say
that had no tree been felled except by abso-
lutte necessity We would not now have cause
TO fear dearth oftimber. But the forests have
suffered from the vandalism, carelessness and
criminal greed Of man almost, II not quite, as
much as from his needs. Farmers have swept
the wood from their land long before they
desired % cultivate it, thus losing the entire
value OF the timber and exposing the soil W
to the harmful influence Of the sun. I'm
counted thousands Of trees have been wan.
tonly cut, and allowed 10 rot where they
fell War has branded whole districts with
its trighttul mark. Tremendous forest fires
have rolled over hundreds OF miles, and left
charred, CHASTITY skeletons where once were
proud vigorous 'ritans. Yet the greatest dam
agc, perhaps, has been done by owners Of
forests who appear 10 have an insane belief
that there is no end 10 their resources, Or
that the growth of centuries will be replaced
with trees which will spring up with the
rapidity Of Jacks bean stalk. Verify, "The
love of money is a mot the) root Of all evil"
Even the woodland reserved by the Gov.
eminent for the use of the Navy has not cs-
capped The lax regulations invite timber
thieves, many Of whom are as adroit as
they are unprincipled The reservations In
/ Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Montana
and Washington Territories have been, or
are being despoiled. Every year deadly
blows are struck and the end approaches
nearer and nearer Not content with re-
spending to the immense calls Of home in.
dustries, some grasping lumber merchants
have forced their products into European
markets.
A glance at the condition Of the timber
! growing States Will show what injury mas
been wrought. According TO statistics Issued
by the u. 5. Census Bureau, New England
is almost stripped Of pine, while the forests
Of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin are
being rapidly cut down, 50 rapidly that u j
feared they will not last more than ten OF
twelve years.
At the South, where the destruction has
not been so serious, some States, as Te xas
Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, have still
a tolcrable supply. In New York, Pennsyl
vania and Ohio the woods will have soon
disappeared. California Is now compelled
TO draw upon the Eastern States for supplies
for the manufacture of carriages and farming
utensils, and her woodland, always but /
small portion Of the State, is being cleared
very fast
So the havoc goes on. Think Of II, on
5illion Of dollars se0rfh Of timber cut annuaHl
from our forests! Surely IL is time for the
General Government, or the Legislatures o
the States, or the people, to take hold Of thii
important problem, and save the UniteC
States from the terrible fate which befell 81
many countries OF the Old World.
LEE DAVIS LODGE.