The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-30
PRAIRIE TIMBER.

The STATESMAN has given no lit
tie space to discussing the subject of
foresting as applicable to Texas, both
in its relation to the preservation of
forests and to the production of trees
on our prairies. Regarding the plant
ing of trees the San Antonio Times
says:
The anecdote has often been told of
the old man bent with age, who, while
engaged in planting tree, was ques-
toned by young and thoughtless
fellow as to his reasons for being thus
employed: "You can never hope to see
1t grow to any useful size," said the
youth, "and your labor seems to me
will be thrown away" The old man
raising himself slowly from the stoop-
ing position which his work required,
replied: Had God, and those who
were before me planted no trees, L
would never have known the comfort
they afford or enjoyed their cool shade
at noon time" In Japan there is a
law, or perhaps merely custom, that
when tree is felled another is always
planted in its stead, and so
rigidly is this custom OBJ
served that if the space occu-
pied by it is to be utilized for building
or any other purpose requiring that
space, a tree is planted somewhere
else. The effect of this is at once per-
ceiyed, and perhaps it would be a
good thing if we thoughtless and
wasteful Americans would adopt so
beautiful as well as so practical a
habit. In Louisiana, among the Ar
cadian French, it was 4 custom to
plant an acre, or half acre, of the
prairie soil in the China tree, though
it afforded poor fire wood, but was of
rapid growth. They divided it in
four equal parts. When the timber
was of sufficient growth the trees of
the first quarter were closely trimmed
of all the branches they could
spare, and that sufficed for fire
wood during the year, but little be-
! ing required from the nature of the
climate by those primitive people.
J The next year the second quarter was
| similarly utilized, and so on to the
last. In four years the trees Of the
/ first quarter were ready to yield their
| supply again, and where timber upon
the streams was at a great distance, or
only few miles distant, this custom
obtained. for many of them were but
poorly prepared to haul wood even
/ from very short distance. Speaking
Of the custom in Japan, and of the
custom prevailing in some of the
/. Western States, the Fresno Expositor,
California paper, says:
| In some of the Western States there
! is an excellent law in existence which
il would do very well for California
to copy after. A day is set apart by
the governor every spring when all
the people turn out and plant trees
The effect of this law or custom is
very beneficial. The barren prairies
are being transformed into miniature
forests, and it is claimed that the
effect on the climate has been for the
better. That the annual rainfall las
been considerably increased. The
planting of trees along the roadways
and about the farms has also helped
to break the force of the fierce winds
that sweep the open prairies. Had
California such custom her great
| valleys would now present most in
vitlng appearance, and her mountains
would soon be filled with a heavy
growth of young timber, which would
be ready for use when the great forests
that are now being slaughtered by
the woodlands axe shall have passed
|