The Red Cloud chief., 1884-09-19

The following article or,~ns ~ . vsry
interesting and important sab~ci We
NJ. glad to cal Gt;sn;ion "a H. We ID
lot cult. ayrre with the writer ~ io the
time required to grow n pine forest
W. onse .old n asc;ion . pune grpsth
,: forty years for orc hundred dollars
per arr. for the wood standing. without
he land
( Every now and then we r~ad OF \ nrv
in the WOOD which burns Up any~ hrrc
from = fcw thousand "a a mill on dol
lars worth or morr Of property: tut until
these ravagc. were bIough, together in
n view. by the MAJ about 20 t- pub
li-hed by the United stairs Census
Bureau. IL i probable ;hs; 10 q had
Al adequate idea Of the wide range
AMI the vast amount " the damssc
done.
W ibout going into particular Il Il
.afc To- say that the prevention % these
hires Is 70 %: the mos. s-Tiou. con
omical questions The direct value de-
stroyed = probably greater than thai of
81 the lumber cui-whch i. no; les
than three hundred million dollars n
year-and the Incidental damage J., n
many cases far greater than the direct
Cutting trees does not necessarily hin
~. the land from growing more and
better one, in fact. /, often helps IN
tina, result But burning them OF
frequently destroys no; only those
large enough Ia d. cut but also q u0s,ly
greater number which ar not large
enough. Worse Yet. n not only kils
the seed in the ground. but also burns
ont the vegetable substance in the soil
t,eli. rendering IL for n iong time inca
pable 81 raising anything but trc-weei
or brambl-s. aud then. later on. some
of the trees least valuable for fuel or
timber. In the case Of broad lcayai
trees, We may say that no, less than
nifty years. and. la tie case y. white
pine-for which the soil aud climate Of
New England are SD peculiarly adapted
not less han one hundred YEAR will
generally, under the most favorable ci~-
cumstances. be necessary before the
same tire : can be crown again.
Where the underlying slopes are
steep this denuding and roasting II the
soil often results in It's being washed
away by rains and if the rock beneath
II a hard one. such ~ granite. il may
be- centuries befor. heat. frost aud the
humber kinds Of vegetable life can so
disintegra,e and fix II that il will raise
trees.
Still further. a great indirect damage
Is done by thcse frequent conilagraiinns.
because they make owners of land so
uncertain Of the future that they are
tempted To cut their trees when small
and thickly crowded. So as To get a.
much IS possible from them for fuel
before fire, may DESTROY them. and of
course this uncertainty is also a strong
argument against that planting which
advocates oil forestry urge 50 earnestly.
The first and most pressing matter
then To be attended Ia il W. are To con
Time to enjoy a supply Of timber, with
out which We can not long have pros
porous civilization. is 10 make or lind n
way ID prevent, As far A. may be. the
starting of these fires. and their spread
if once they do get under way. For the
first we need more stringent legisls-
ton. such as making il as much felony
to burn woods as houses iro .ntionslly,
and n criminal offcnse ~ set the tires
carelessly. Large bounties should be-
offered for the detection of offenders.
Owners of woodland should be COM
PEELED to burn or remove all the tops.
branches and other debris OF logging.
and fallen limbs and trees from stand
ing timber. This has been recently
urged by a leading lumber journal.
Pleasure seekers should not be allowed
To enter extensive forests. such rs
the Adirondacks. without q guide Ii
censed by the Sta:e. and he should be
held responsible for fires let or left by
parties under his enlarge. Especially
railroads should be compelled TO put
spark consumers upon all locomotives.
1t is said that three lately built for Van
derbilt work to entire satisfaction. To
facilitate the fighting Of those fires
which do get started. there should be
maintained. rs in the French forests of
maritime pine. frequent roads not less
than four rods wide. which should be
kept absolutely clear of combustiblo
material COngrcgdtiondiiSt.