The sun., 1884-04-20


costa tlme and money TO do lt we'll. aud not
one settlor In ton Thousand who cntcrs tree
culture claim has either tho tlme or tho
mUnoy t0 devote TO any such purpose The
result has been that when planting under
the provisions OF this law has been done at
all, 1t has bcen done In such a hAsty
and inefficient manner that failure has
been Inevitable. Tho Government has given
away something like ten million acres Of land
under this net. without any results at nll
commensurate with this great xiit. A good
nany cottonwood cuttings have been stuck
into the ground, and other trees have been
planted hcre and there, but 1t IL doubtful II
all tho talk and enthusiasm about the Timber
Culture net which exists In some of the West
ern States has cver produced healthy
growth Of anything like five Thousand acres
Of trccs Ia tho whole ~ tho United States.
II timber culture plantations exist they are
not visible to the Eastern traveller.
The second renson why tho Timber Culture
act should bc repealed is not loss conclusive
than that wc have just explained. This law
WAS a production Of Minnesota. 1t WAS
draittd by citizens OF that State Interested
In developing among their people taste
for planting troes. SO fnr NJ Minnesota
IL concerned 1t IL a good law, except for tho
impossibility OF getting settlers. us We have
already explained. to cSpend tho labor aud
money necessary to insure the growth Of
several acres " trees. There Ia nothing In
the climate or the soil OF Minnesota to pro-
vent free and luxuriant growth OF trees
That tho western portions OF the State arc
trecless is due rather to the accident Of
continual burning than to any climatic
Influences. This Is equally true OF the States
south OF Minnesota In the same longitude,
aid even tho eastern portions OF the Statos
further west; in oil this prairie region
proper trees. when carefully planted and
properly cultivated, grow freely and rapidly.
west OF this prairie region, however, Is
hiSher and dricr region, where trees DO not
grow naturally, because there Is not SUM
cient rainfall over that portionof tho country
to insure their growth. A forest needs rain
copious and well distributed, and where there
cannon DO induced 10 nourish. inc Timber
Culture act however, Is operative In every
pnrt oi the pubic domain, except IN the case
OF timber and mineral lands, so that land
can % taken up under Its provisions any
wherc upon th" great plains, or In any OF
the dry anu treoless valleys west OF tho
hocky Mouhtalu'. IL must not DC forgotten
.n"e III every part ol tne country wese OF
tnese mountalns' except IN the extreme
Northwest' oil tne valleys are dry anu tree
less, ana tnat the lorests are strlctiy connncd
70 'he hIsnest mountain ranges "n'ch az
VI It"oo suiicieht moisture 10 cause 1reee 10
,'o".ieu upon oueir siues Inc agricultural
iahus are ah ury' anu rrigatioh ls
evefs"hero hNsssary 10 insure the
sro"'h oi summer crops. mat is, there
10 NO innu on INC great plains east m
'ne nocky h'uncalns or III tne 'aneys
wes' VI .he n'chy Aounea'ns "nere ehore ID
'ne slignoese chance Oh trees growing WITH
ou1 ltrisa1,on' wn.cn upon any large scaie is
owing " Tue ihsuhcien1 water
supply ot tne ehtlre INFERIOR portion ol the
'on''hon'' Inc reeui1 OF th,s ID tn"t tne SoV-
'inihen' Vi ''.' ou'oeu ''a'e0 ueoo'veS eVery
oa. 'nousa.ue ol nones1 set'iers upon iIe
'o'r,''ty inO' 'ue ocAoi 'n"' 'roes can DC
liiau' 70 9ro" "nero no human power eau
i'nAe '''ciii Hfow' 'uus causing severe aisap-
p''n'ii'en's ",ia on'a'''nx SERIOUS LOSSES Oh
n'u0S alo VI 'i'ne' '"o,e '"'uaole e'en 'Ian
honey 10 '.ien s'fuH9ni'9 W overcome the
i"'u7','p9 ol 'ne'r Si'"a'io"' "heh every ooi-
al ana every hour Is o' lnestimable value.
"heh t?ts ID" was maae the men VINO
'repareu u were 'shorane' perhaps OF the
AVIS wh,ch govern the CROWN ot trees' ana
Auew nt1ie o' tne peeuHar ciimate or nat
lrai features OF the westerh hnil OF the cohti-
lent "nere inc pupi'cdomaln was prlnclpal-
y situated. Iney prepared what there Is
NOulu O0 q uSeIul fug0Sur0 10 lnSllrD tle |