Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-24
FORESTRY.
The Southern Congress to be Held at De
Funiak springs, Fla.


From the Ne,o OrleGns Times Democrat
The American forestry congress. which
met in New England a month ago, has at
tracted universal attention to the impor-
lance Of passing laws regarding forestry
in this country, unless we desire to COM
pletely denude and destroy our forests.
producing lumber famine; and, at the
same time, impOverishing our soil, affect
ing its fertility, and injuring the climate
Of the country. On these points, the
warning Issued by the congress was esH
peciallv striking and deserving OF atten-
ton. 1t showed that this country was not
as heavily wooded as was thought. The
greater portion OF the forests of the
Northern States have been DESTROYED dur
ing the past half century, and the wooded
area rs now confined mainly 70 the South.
to the far Northwest, and to the Pacific
slope.
The timber supply of the South will suG
ice for the needs OF the country il it. is
properly husbanded; but if the same reck-
less extraHagance is pursued that has
left Ohio to-day almost treeless, and IA
sweeping away the woods Of Michigan
and Wisconsin equally as fast, the whole
country Will suffer from It. What the
congress aimed to secure was some at
tention TO this subject, to find what g the
best mode Of preventing further reckless
waste, and what steps should be taken TO
replenish the forests, now, alasl rapidly
disappearing.
Strange to say the South, although vi
tally interested in this matter as the
largest possessOr OF wooded lands in the
Union, bad but one representative present
and took little part in the proceedings.
| This neglect, however, will be made good
! by the Southern forestry congress, to
meet at Lake DeFuniak, Fla, Dec l6. A
southern congress of this kind was
deemed necessary, not on account Of any
sectional or political differences, but be-
cause the forestry question in the South is,
| through climatic or other causes, entirely
different from the problem in the West
/ The South is wooded country. and IL IL
q question not so much OF replacing
forests as Of preserving those we already
have. Our trees are not the same: our
/ time OF planting altogether different from
I that prevailing in the North, and what
applies there seldom does here
Hence, il was deemed necessary to
summon Southern forestry congress to
call the attention of the cOurtrv to the
splendid supply OF timber in the south. to
the various Southern woods, TO point out
TO the Southern landowners the mex
haustible wealth they possess in their
forests. and to warn them to be careful
and economical In their inroads on them.
The convention will meet. as we have
said, at Lake DeFuniak, Fla, Dec.
IL. Gov. Perry, OF that state, who has
taken deep interest in the matter. has
extended invitations TO the Governors Of
all the Southern States TO be present, and
10 send one delegate for each congress
si0nal district. The late American for.
estry congress will also send delegates.
who will advise with those from the
South as 10 the best steps necessary To
protect the Southern forests from too
rapid and eXtravagant destruction. and to
call attention to the wealth and re.
sources OF the Southern woodlands.