Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-03
The Forestry Commission.

The governor has appointed Redfeld |
Proctor, Frederick Billings and Edward DE-
Phelps commissioners to inquire into the
subject Of the forests Of Vermont, as to
their extent and condition. and what If any
measures should be taken in respect to their
protection and to report the same at the
next session of the legislature" in accord
ance with joint resolution adopted at the
late session of the general assembly. These
names give character and standing to a
movement, the purpose of which is of vital
Importance to the state. All over the
country rapid destruction and proAigate
waste of the native forests has been going
on unchecked either by law or by any re-
gard for future generations. Men have be-
come millionaires by stealing timber from
the government lands in the west. The
following from an article in Hdrper's Mag.
azine for January tells how the waste is still
going on:
1.-THE wastefulness of this numbering Is one Of
| the striking features OF the scene Only the larg-
est trees are cut, those measuring less than two
| feet in diameter rarely being touched, and the
thick and widely divergent, considering the height
and weight they support), but some distance
| above, so that very large specimens the massive
stump, upon whose fiat top you might build
comfortable house, stand ten or twelve feet above
| the ground, and contains hundreds of feet OF
sound lumber which must be left to rot or burn.
Then many trees are broken by their fall, so that
| large parts of them are useless other parts may
| be knotty, or crooked, or inconvenient to drag
! out, so that only half OF a great trunk will be
utilized. Huge logs are consumed, also, in
road-making and bridge building in the hills,
| and dozens OF small trees are crushed by the
fall of their greater companions Then, when
a district is pretty well cleared Of Its best
timber, fire is set In the brush and PROSTATE
trunks. Feeding eagerly upon the resinous
| woods, half dried and broken, 1t gathers so much
heat that the saplings are nearly all killed, and
the 1aky, tinder-ke bark of the larger trees is
singed in way which must greatly injure and
often destroy them Moreover, these fires,
famed by the gusty breezes rushing in every
afternoon from the ocean, often get beyond con-
troll, and sweeping through the oily tops and brit,
tie trunks, spread backened ruin over miles and
miles of precious forest. Precious, however, 1t
seems never to occur to the lumberman these
forests are; vet he is probably no more wasteful
and careless here than elsewhere, and finds his
match for needless extravaganza In nearly every
pursuit that deals in what nature furnished us at
the outset in abundance, but replaces only very
slowly, giving abundant leisure for our repent
ance. The spendthrift lumberman is bad enough
but no worse than the wasteful oysterman or
buffalo hunter, reckless of the future. 1t is or
ought to be, a matter Of rejoicing that the for
estry people, under Mr.. Sargeants guidance, are
paying especial attention to preserving as far as
possible the magnificent forests Of the Coast
Range"
The magnificent forests which still clothe
and beautify the Green Mountain range
and its systems of spurs and hills should be
preserved, or their products harvested by
lumbermen and woodmen with prudent
regard for their protection and perpetual
ton. They protect the fountain head of
the streams, they break the wild sweep of
bleak or devastating winds Aside from all
their positive material benefits if wisely
husbanded, they make the state healthful,
render it supremacy beautiful and allure to
their cool retreats a large and increasing
throng of summer visitors who leave in the
aggregate large sums of money in the state.
1t is estimated that during the last season
tourists left seven million dollars in New
Hampshire as tribute to its mountain re-
treats. In smaller but constantly growing
proportion Vermont shares in this summer
shower of gold, and her verdureclad hills
and cool shaded streams are controlling
element in attracting the clouds from which
this glittering rain as well as the waters Of
heaven descend. The recommendations OF
this commission will be awaited with deep
interest.