Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-04-18
lancaster 9ntelltgen,er.
TREr pI,AsrINa IN MARYLAND.
vvbar n fseiuc Done to Keep Up the Forests
Of tho Sr1tos

TREE PLANTlNG IN MAh1AANO.
What Is Being Done to keep' Up tho Forests
OF tho State.
Baltimore Sun.
The Legislature of Maryland, at its last |
SCI sion, appointed an unpaid commission |
to examine and report to the next General
Assembly what legislation is necessary to
protect and foster the forest growth OF
the state. A resolution adopted by the
Legislature in this connection declares
that the destruction of the forest trees IN
q large portion of Maryland is far in excess |
of the replanting which is being done, and
that unless proper remedial legislation IS
enacted another half century will doubt
less witness the almost entire destruction
OF the forest growth of the state. The
committee designated by the Legislature
to take charge of this important matter
comprises Governor William 7. Hamilton,
Ex-Governor John Lee Carol, ex.GoVern
or Philip F. Thomas, Hon Lloyd LoWn-
des and Professors I. X. Uhler and Ira
Remsen. The committee have never Deen
called together or had meeting, but frof.
Uhler, who is thoroughly conversant with
the resources of the state and its needs, is
fully competent to furnish at any time all
the information the General Assembly may
T6QUIIo Ou WAlCU w OdoC plopOi ioAes'AO"
and in Prof. Remsen he would fiud an
equally able scientific coadjutor. The
resolution OF the Legislature implies that
some rcplanting had been practiced before
1882, but restoration has never been car
ried on to any considerable extent. The
importance of trees to the health, saft-
ty and prosperity of any country
is we'll recognized. Heavy forest growlhs
afford protection from 'blizzards," and
retain. the rainfall aud melting SHOWS
sufficiently to prevent sudden torrents and
consequent flooding Of large rivers, which
are usually attended by destruction OF
property and even of life. On the other
hand, too, they help to mako springs
which supply the tributaries of tho larger
streams Hlllsides covered with trees and
underground retain the water and ooze 1T
off gradually to the springs, or permit II
to .tGckle through rocky CrevlceS ana
conY6rge in the streams of lower levels.
Where the trees are destroyed and the
hillsides arc baked by the sun, the rain
rushes down by single impulse to swell
the rivers and overspread large areas of
cultivated territory; while that which falls
on the disintegrated rocks is held as IN a
sponge, and is parted with chiefly by
evaporation into the atmosphere.
The most extensive tree planting which
has been rracticed in Maryland has been
done this spring by Mr.. Robert L. Martin
who has set out L.. 963 forest trees OF dlt-
ferent varieties on the line OF the Gun
powder river. eight miles from the city.
These trees have been scattered over "a
acres of land owned by tho city at Loeb
Raven. Mr.. Martin, who is the civil en-
gineer of the war department, says he
will plant all along the line on the city S
property until he gets the Gunpowiel
river fringed with woods. Next fall lie
will procure acOrnS aud other seed fOl
extensive planting. The cost he says is
trifling and the benefit incalcuiable. The
importance of tho work of Mr.. Martin may
be appreciated when the fact is remember
ed that the Gunpowder river has lost
three .fourths of its volume ~ the pas,
hundred years by the obstruction OF the
woods which formerly cnPhrc': It's banks
and grew sickly on the t&!l SIDES and IL
the ravines through wiz, Il is trltntarie'
and resources flowed to The main wate
cOUrae.
DIR. Holmes on ArtorlcnitnTe.
In reply to a letter on the subj jeCt of The
Arbor Day celebration in Cincinnati, DIR
Oliver Wendell Holmes recently addresse'
the following characteristic letter to hi
friend, Mr.. John L. Feaslec, ol C!n:ln
natl
BosroN, March 5, 1S53.-John B
Peaslee-Dear Sir : You and your friend
have chosen very pleasant and mos
useful way of commemorating some of til
authors whom you think worthy of bcini
remembered by their fellow -countrymen
hope that the example set of planting
trees as monuments will do rs mucl. 10
American landscape as the best OF Oh
authorship has done for American litera
ture,
"The trees may outlivo the memory o
moro than one of those Ill whose bono
they were planted. But if it is something
to make two blades Of grass grow where
only one was growing, it Is much more t.
have been the occasion of tho planting Q
an oak which shall defy twenty scores
winters, or of an elm which shall canop.
with its green cloud Of foliage half a
many generations of mortal immortalities
have written many verses, but the poem
have produced are the trees planted o.
tho hillside which overlooked the broa
meadows, scalloped aud rounded at thei
edges by the Simeon's Housatonic. Ma
turo finds rhymes for them i'll the recur
ring measure of the seasons winter strip
them of their ornaments and gives then
as it were, in prose translation, and sum
mer re clothes them in all the splendi
phrases of their loafy language.
"What are these naples and beeche
and birches but odes and idyls and madr
gals? What are these pines and irs al
spruces but holy hymns, too solemn fo
the many hued raiment of their gay decic
nous neighbOrS, But must not let III
fancy run away with me. 1t is enough t
know that when we plant tree we al
doing what we can to mako our planet
more wholesome and happier dwellin
place for those who come after us If nO
for ourselves. AS you drop the seed, Il
you plant the sapling, your left han
hardly knows what its right hand is doing
But nature knows, and in due time th
powers that see you do tho work /
secret will reward you openly. You hav
been warned against hiding your talent i
a napkin. but if your talcut takes the fcrI
eff a maple key or an acorn, aud your nal
kin is a shred of tho apron that covers til
lap of earth, you may hide it there w
blamed, and when you render in your az
count you will find that your deposit ha
been drawing compound interest all til
time. Believe me, dear Mr.. feaslee, yer
truly yours,
go. w. HOLMES"
Silver CREEK, N. Y, Feb. G. 1850.
GENTS: have been very low ard have trie
everything, to no advantage. l heard y OF
Hop Bitters recommended by go many and
concluded to give them a trial. l did and no
am around and constantly improving and al
nearly as strong eyer.
mare2-l6teo w.H WELLER