Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-03-26

AMERICAN FORESTS.

The ninth volume of the final report Of
the Tenth Census consists of 600 quarto
pages relating to the country's woodlands
The subject deserves all the attention it has
received in the enumeration of our resOur-
ces. The forest crop of the census year, for
example, was valued at OO,OOO,O0O 1t
was worth twice as much as the wheat
harvest, over twice as much as the iron and
steel output of that year. 1t is in other
words the largest.cro of the country.
The crop is so large that timber famine
is already foreshadOwed. The white pine
of New England, New York and Pennsyl-
vania has practically disappeared; the for
ests of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota
are nearly exhausted, the hardwood forests
of the Mississippi valley have lost their
best timber, and the redwood forests Of
California will soon be exhausted There
will then beno great source of supply except
in the yellow pine forests of the Southern
States, and even in the South the waste OF
timber is alarming and destructive. The
turpentine industry destroys vast quanti-
ties of timber, leading not only to direct
loss of timber, but to falling timber and de-
vastating fires. Herds of swine tear up the
young pines, and turpentine farmers and
numerous fires attack the trees in their
prime, The annual waste of timber reach
es an astonishing sum.
Nor is the Importance of forest cOnServa-
ton confined to the need of timber. Our
forests serve other purposes. They main
tain the equahle flow of our rivers and
streams, guarding our valleys from damag-
ing freshets and protecting our mountain
slopes from wasting torrents. They retain
the moisture in the soil, and have a great
deal to do with the rainfall. If we disturb
this adjustment of the natural forces by
denuding the land of its great crop, the
penalty will fall on us in many shapes.
The timber of the Northern and Western
States so nearly exhausted, it is our interest
to care for all the pine we possess. Pine
lands, especially in the lower part Of this
State, are ridiculousIy low priced, but the
time is fast approaching when every acre
of it will be in good demannd at prices
that represent its real value to the country
at large. We have made this prediction
several times before, and the census volume
before us shows that the country will soon
have nowhere else to turn to in order to get
an ample supply of timber. Ten years
from this time yellow pine will be as iamll-
lar in every Northern town as white pine
is now. There is no way to avoid in a few
years general attack upon the pine forests
of the South and every acre of them, not
at present needed, should be preserved
against that time.
The volume contains a large quantity
of interesting statistics, relating to the
strength, fuel value and other qualities of
our native woods. The volume is the near
est complete history of our aborescent
growth that has appeared in print In all
there are 412 distinct species growing with
q single stem-trees instead Of bushes. 229
of this number belong to the Atlantic slope.
In single North Carolina county can be
found more genera and species than occurin
the entire area of Europe.-1Hdntd COnsfi-
tuition.
AN EDIToR's PEREGRINATIONs.-La
week the tired editor, after laboring hard
in the vineyard concluded that he would go
out among the brethren. While down in
the Dry Fork neighborhood we preached at
Ebeneezer, and accompanied Brother Sam
HayfOOt home to dinner. There were seNy-
erai brethren present, and among them
we were pleased to notice old Brother Shop
well. He is an old servant of the Lord,
and, had the small poX kept out of his way,
we think that his cOuntenance would have
escaped great wrong. Old Sister HayfOOt,
kind reader, knows how to get up good
dinner. She has our idea of cooking cab
bage, for like us, she thinks that they
should be boiled until all of their brittle
ness melts into the everlasting pot. After
having served the inner lilaL wy aSalM do
semhed in the sitting room, where Sister
Stoveall favored us with hymn and Is
cents, for which she wanted six months
subscription. One dollar would have struck
us with little more warmth, but in these
days of sin and hard times a half loaf is
much better than Boston cracker. Broth
er Smithfeld good old soul as ever lived,
declares that he will take the paper when
he sells his red steer. Gentle reader, do
YOU know of any one who wants to buy
steer ?-Arka1,sttS Christian Weekly.
ssg> The crowning of a mans fortune is to
be born to some pursuit which finds him in
employment and happiness, whether it be
to make baskets, or broadswords, or canals,
or statutes, or songs.