Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-12-15
Aorirnltural Department.
THE BENEFITS OF TREES.

THE BENEFITS OF TREES.
An interesting paper on Forest
ry" was read before the San Fran
cisco Geographical Society by c. A.
Washburn. He began by speaking
of the increase of the population of
the world. Mr.. Washburn took the
opposite stand point from Nautilus,
and said that we should not try to
devise plans of preventing the in
crease of population but to devise
means to provide food for them. The
world could be made to support sew
en- times its present population; and
the way is by increasing our forests.
By planting our now barren hills with
trees it would leave them plenty of
land in the valleys to cultivate grain.
1t is an undeniable fact that where
trees are is abundance the country is
thrifty. Speaking of the devastation
of timber lands, the speaker cited
Arabia, Syria. Egypt and the coun-
tries of the Old World. At one Pc
Rod in the worlds history these
places supported vast population,
beautiful cities and wealthy king
fharo no haT-
rem places that were once the pride
of the world. The cause of this Won
derful change, according TO Mr..
Washburn's ideas, was the destruc-
ton of the timber. History tells us
that many of these countries were
once fertile and productive, but as
the population increased the forests
were destroyed, and the cessation of
rains mas made them what they are
now. California is coming to the
same end in the course of time if we
do not profit by the experience of the
ancients and save our forests, or, at
least, not allow them to be annihilat-
ed. Taking the scientific standpoint
of the effect of forests in their infiu-
ence on the rainfall, the speaker con-
tended that as forests are removed
so will the fall of rain decrease, and
to substantlate his theory and the
theory of scientific men he cited the
effect of cutting off the timbers
among the Apenines and in Lombar-
dy. Germany and England on the
other hand, are still thriving nations.
and one great cause is that care is
taken to preserve the fertility of the
soil and keep up their forests. Ole
Spain, again, is the reverse. The
country is desolate aud it's people
thriftless on account of the lack o.
vegetation. The effect of planting
trees in our own country, especial.
in California, is very noticeable
Many of our valleys and grain land
are very open, over which the wind
sweep, drying up the soil and blight
ing the crops. In those places wher
the prudent farmer has planted Ion,
rows of trees, the violence of tn
wind is broken and the growing crop
saved. Where trees grow, Their
rain, on which we all depend, wi
fall. The only exceptions to the rul
of forests and rain going togethe
are the pampas of South Americ
and our great western plains bu
the exceptions, as explained by SC
entists, are due to the fact that tn
rain-bearing winds that blow owe
them are condensed by the trad
winds. The farmers in Nebraska
Iowa and Illinois are fast eXhaus
ing the fertility of the soil, and,
they continue to do so, in less tina
two centuries these places will be {
barren as the plains around DANA
Gus are at the present day. I'll
speaker then compared the differen'
in beauty and valuation of two farm
one on which no trees were plantt
and another where trees grew
abundance.
Mr.. Washburne concluded his rea
ing by making the alarming announc
ment that a company is being form'
in Germany for the purpose of col
ing to this country and securing va
tracts of red wood land for the pu
pose of getting the timber. The sar
company also intend securing Ian
in Michioan for q like DurDOSp