New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-08
TIE FORESTRY CONGRESS.

DIFFERENCES or OPINION on IMPORTANT TOPICS
To me Edit0r Of The TFlbuHe.
SIR: observe in THE TRIBUNE of to-day an an
nonncemont Of the meeting of the American F0es
trv Congress, to he held in Saratoga on September
1G and among the moro prominent subjects to he
brought before this Congress is mentioned he
Adirondack Forests; their mercantile signitcance'
statistics of deforesation; present condition ana
value; hydraulic Influences fres.'
The importance of this matter has been ire
duently urged in THE TRIBUNE, and mt tho present
few qucsi0nsare more earnestly discussed through
out this state and 1t is to be hoped that the prom
inent position of the president Of this Congress
will not cause his views upon this i'm
portant question to pass unchallenred'
since they appear TO be opposed not only to those
advanced by rHE TRTBUNE, but TO the frequently
expressed opinions Of other high authorities
At meeting OF the Massachusetts, State Board OF
Agriculture DIR. George b. Loring, now the presi-
dent of the American Forestry Congress, IN dis
cussing this question of the Influence of Forests
said al think. sir, that the winters were just az
cold, this streams just rs dry, and tho changes oil
temperature just as great, when tho Pilgrims
landed on these shores as they are to-day. ] have
not the slightest doubt of it," And again: Is 1t
entirely true that we depend upon the continuance
of our forests for our rainfall DO you really be-
,iove, let ask you Mr.. Chairman, in all SINGER
ity, do you really believe that 1t would have been
one degree warmer, day before yesterday if there
had been one intermmabe forest from Minnesota
TO llavcrniil ~
Dr. Wakefield chairmanl.-"I do, most as
surcdly."
Dr. Iprng-" Well sir, do not
do not believe it could have affected
the temperature here even half n degree. The eli
mate was as variable and the cold great then as
itIsnow" And he went on TO say Now, one
word with regard 10 the drying up of the streams
IN these modoI DAYS. Inc Connecticut II as large
river to-day as when the country undiscovered.
Tho Mcrrimac IS as large river now as II was
then think the Mississippi - as great river as
il was IN oden times. There is no doubt about IT,"
Now Mt this same meeting Professor &. = Hargent -,
director of tine Botanic Garden and ATbOrltum OF
Harvard University, IN carefully prepared paper
upon The subject of " Tree Planting IN Massdchu-
sets" said: " Herr WeX az the recent yearly meet
inc Of the Geographical Society of Vienna. demon
strated that the AVERAGE level OF the RIVER ! me
had fallen seventeen inches; that of the khlne
over twemty-lour inches; that OF the VS.
tula twenty-sx inches, aud that OF the
Danube at Or,oya a. much as flty-iye
inches during the past fifty years lie went on 10
say that IA the United states we nave not hii"S
such extended observations as have been made IN
Europe, but he cited many instances N, or own
couuty, to show that the same Is true ia the OhIted
States.
sec also that another subject which is to be
brought before the Congress at Saratoga, IS the
" Forest suppl es of tho Eastern states and con-
corning this matter d. Lorng said Their are
more forests to-day in Mas>achu>et's than there
were twenty year, ago. he trees are Increasing
everywhere Tnoy are being planted by every
body" And again: The planting of trees has
become National duty here, National business,
and q task among the people There Is noneccSsl'y,
therefore, for encouraging that. for 1t Is cvrry-
where" ON the other hand. Professor Sargent de
ClArcd that the abandoned lands I'm
MasSachusctA hayo generally grown up
with tress comparatively worthless for employ
mcnt IN the art and which only supply; after
years of struggling growth. an inferior iuei. ne
before they reached maturity, and as no steps have
been taken to replace them, il is not astonishing
that the poverty Of our wood lands has reached
polnt which coInpels the inhabitants of this state
to draw nearly their whole supply Of lumber from
portions of the country more recently settled.
Tins Is attended with 50 much expense and iucon-
vcnIence that many valuable Industries have al
ready moved from Massachusetts.
Ne,r- Ork Aug. 81. ISL ADIRONDACkS.