Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-09-26
ARBORCTITURE.
Reminder of It's Importance-The
ALL Region-Tfee Literature.

a valuable paper on the Importance
of a~rborculture in the arid regions OF
the west. As the subject is receiving
some attention IN this section we pub
lish it for the benefit Of those Of u
readers who are interested in its fur
therance:
The culture Of trees, both forest
and ornamental, has in all ages Of the
worlds history been intimately asso-
ciated with the permanent prosperity
or the vital decadence OF national life.
The Teutonic and Gallic races have
at all times held the science OF for
estry in high esteem, and IN their
cases national thrift and a keen appre-
citation Of the leafy monaTchs Of the
forest e to be coincident virtues.
The laws Of the German Empire
are very stringent against the wanton
cutting Of their forest growth, the
annual telling Of timber being com
pen5ated for 10y annual planting.
The military roads OF the first Ma
Doleon are lined on either side with
stately trees, and So great IS the care
taken Of their health shat nurseries
are established into which sichly or
dropping trees may be transplanted,
and healthy subjects put into their
places. Wherever healthy trees are
maintained in abundance, q fertile soil
is the usual accompaniment, and as
husbandry is the prime basis OF ma
tional wealth the connection between
horticulticure and the wealth OF a
country is obvious.
Greece in the palmy days Of her
intellectually, lost sight IN a great
measure Of the tiilage of the soil ID
her mad desire for supremacy in let
ters. The consequence was that while
Greece obtained a pre-emlnence IN
literature and in art which to this
day is unquestioned and unassalled,
the country was gradually stripped OF
its forests. The hard, dry earth re-
fused to yield her increase, and a BAR
1en land is the present heritage OF her
sons
The English people have always
been fond of trees, and the forests OF
England are ~proverbial for their pro
fuse and varied growth, while vast
sums of money are being continually
lavished on the planting and culture
of ornamental species. In short, it
may be taken as an accepted fact that
European nations have a just appre-
citation of the necessity for tree cul-
ture as an auxiliary OF accessory to
national we'll being. just as certain
festivals of the church are kept, and
as certain notable events + celebra-
ted, SO in European countries are one
or two days in every year set apart
for the public planting of trees and
the delivering of addresses by pro-
fessors Of forestry on the advantages
to be derived from their healthy cul-
ture.
In our own country the question Of
tree planting to compensate in some
measure for the telling, has become a
vital question. Our northern forests
are being rapidly depleted by the
lurnbermen; the younger growths are
being heavily drawn upon for fuel,
and it is only a question of time,
when in the absence of vigorous and
systematic planting the fertility of
our soil will be sensibly diminished
and we shall be compelled to import
the material which now forms one of
the staples Of our national wealth.
THE ARID REGIoN
There is another aspect Of the ques
ton, however, and one which is fore
ing itself upon the attention Of our
State Legislators. Our surplus popu-
lation, aided by the liberal law of the
United States, enabling settlers to oc-
cupy and acquire the wild west is in
ducing a steady flow of capital and
labor to the plains and fertile slopes
and valleys Of our Western mountain
ranges. In the comparatively tree
less country the necessity for and the
wisdom Of tree cultureis freely recog-
nized by our pioneer tlllers of the soil.
By Congressional enactment all
lands occupied under certain statutes
must be planted with trees in definite
proportions Of the area occupied.
This is a wise provision, and in the
course of time will bear fruit in in
creasing fertility Of soil. Whether
the awakening among the farmers in
the West to the necessity and utility
OF liberal tree planting is directly