The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-06-15
FORESTRY.

A fearful waste of timber has been
going OH for years. for centuries even, in
some PARTS II our land. and the demand
is annually growing larger rs n,anntac.
tories Increase. Until within few years
past, while individuals deplored the
havoc that was going on aud pointed ont
the disastrous changes which the d,strnc.
ton ri the forests would effect on climate
ard streams, nothing was done to check
the useless consumption ri timber, or Ia
replace that which had been cut down.
The decline Of farming and the introduce
ton If coal rs fuel have indeed proved "A
lselp 10 the woods Of New England, and
perhaps other localities. There il more
forest land in some districts than there
was thirty Years ago, but this condt, ton
II things is exceptional.
Recently some States have passed laws
for forest protection. aud the apprecia-
ton Of shade trees as an ornament To our
cities and villages is increasing. Hence
the Planters Day, which has received
tho sanction Of our State authorities.
But much more must be done both in
the way Of checking destruction and III
the encouragement Of planting and re-
planting. The woods which have proved
such source If revenue to some districts
III the West are fast disappearing before
the demands If the manufacturer and
builder, and heavy inroaas are making
IN the rich supplies Of the South. 1t Is
high time for sober counsel and the in
itlation If thoughtful conservative pro-
cesses. Few people are aware of the ex-
tent Of the consumption that is constantly
gong on. Leaving ont Of consideration
houses and other buildings and furniture,
loo. oaO cords Of soft maple are annually
worked up into shoe pegs aao, 900 cubic
feet of pine are converted into matches;
lasts. and boot trees. and tool handles
require tho use Of 1.OoO,o0o cords Of
birch, beech. aud maple, and in burning
the bricks which arc IL replace frame
structures 100000 cords Of weed arc
burned every year. Nearly l.OOn,ON
trees have already been made into tele-
graph poles, and 400, 900 new poles are
put up annually. The relations Of the
existing supply 10 consumption have
been accurately calculated. aud il is safe
10 say that unless economy is practiccd
or the amount If wood increased. the
time il not far distant when wood will
be very high and very scarce.
There is need, therefore, Of careful
discussion and jadicious Legislation.
But the builder and manufacturer are
no, the only persans concerned in the
matter. Tr,cl,ss countries are specially
liable IT, torna,loes AMI droughts. The
lat. famlnes in both India and China are
largely traceahle to the destruction of
tho forests. Fires long ago destroyed
the tsees in the far West rs they have
more recently rasaged the heavily TIM
hered counties II Michigan. These
agencies must he taken iato account rs
well rs the normal clearing If land. The
Legislatures and railroads of the prairie
States have done we'll in encouraging
trees planting hy bounsics and by the
frcc transportation Of trees, What Is
sectional and occasional must become
| national and customary. We can not
make good in one year ar ten the waste
That has 81 long aud widely been goins
ON, but We may husband the resources
that still remain, and insure to coming
generations continuance If the bless
ings we have enjoyed. - Cincinnati
/ fyY..ss.