Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-10-30
Plant Trees.

A paper which was lately read by one
Of the Washburne brothers-they are SO
numerous ~ to defy initials-before tho
Geographical Society Of California, calls
attention to the great evils which have
resulted from the denudation Of forests
in Europe and in the United States.
We have encountered but O skeleton
note of Mr.. Washburne's paper, but tue
mere suggestion Of the enormous damage
resulting from forest denudation affords
most suggestive editorial topic. There
can be little doubt that process is now
under way which, ii not checked, will
transform the land Of copious rainfalls
embraced in Oregon, in Washington
Territory and in Northern California,
into arid regions, II il is not checked in
time. Tho wall has gone up that the
superb Hudson river is already threat
ened as an artery OF commerce. with re-
sultant disastrous effects upon the harbor
of New York. Whatever tends to re-
strict the prism Of that matchless bay,
of which tho Hudson river forms prin.
cipal part, also tends to the curtailment
OF q harbor which is already second only
TO one other in the world in the volume
OF its local and international commerce.
This disaster, which is pre-fgurod by
shoal places never before noticed in that
glorious river, will result entirely from
forest denudation, when in its full
plenitude. But we are not restricted in
our estimate OF tho damages from forest
denudation to the United States. The
same thing which is now beginning to be
noticed in the Hudson, and in lesser
degroe on the Ohio and Mississippi riv
ers, has been observed for years on the
Danube, Notwithstanding tho fact that
the European nations have been far
more provident in that regard than We
Of the United States. In the nations Of
Central Europe, for a long time past,
this tendency has been noted and re-
sponded to in provident official regula-
tions that will in time, redress the evils
Of past csrelessness.
In Southern California the problem is
essentially different from that presented
in the heavily wooded and copiously wa
tered portion of the United States and
Europe. Facts were developed, at n
recent session OF the International Con-
gress of Forestry, held at Vienna, which
are OF great interest to the people OF n
country which possesses few treesand riv-
ers and many large watersheds. 1t was
shown, amongst other things, that the
country in the neighborhood of Trieste,
an Italian city which was for almost
ages held by Austria, was very plenti-
fully wooded, with consequent abund.
ant rainfalls. In an evil moment,
and yielding to a momentary demand,
tho forests were cut down and util-
lied as fuel and timber. As a result,
the territory adjacent to Trieste quickly
became Desert, in the most mhlign sig.
nificance of the word. In time, literally
nothing grew there, and the streams
either became rills or dried up altogeth-
or. Both the Austrian government and
the people of Trieste soon had sense
enough to put two and two together;
and, what between the people and their
rulers. millions of trees were set out on
waste places, and they were carefully
tended, until they no longer needed at
tention. Presto, changel No sooner
had these delicate plants attained the
growth of trees than all the meteorolog-
ical conditions began at once to alter for
the better. The rainfall commenced to
assimiiate to its old generous plentitude
and the Desert quickly became thing
OF the past.
Private enterprise has, to great ex-
tent, and without premeditation, repro
duced this Trieste experiment in Los An
geles county. Millions and millions OF
trees have been planted here, with the
result that we have not since had any
thing like dronth, and the probabili'
ties arc that, in the future, this section
will be region of regular and satisfac-
tory rainfall.
Thus far all thathas been done isstrict-
ly of the character of private enterprise.
Why should not our City Council
and our Board OF Supervisors
Join in the good work. Why should
there not be plentiful planting
of trees both in the highways OF
the city and the byways of the eouaty,
and at the public expense, considering
the triflinG outlay and the splendid
results In addition to making good
streets and roads, it is our duty to see
to it that lessons OF experience, OF even
international Significance, are attended
to. They all conoenter on the PROPOSE
tion of planting trees.
Plant them, and everywhere!