Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-06-11

SNntlN uONn Ill lreSnetS winch destroy
property in the lower country. The
freshets are utilized to bring down every
spring the timber from thousands of
acres. where no pine wood will ever grow
again. The summer comes, hot and dry
with low water in the rivers. which were
formerly full all the summer from the
slow drain out of the dark shades i'm the
upper country. The natural reservoirs.
which thus gave out slowly their reserves
OF water. are gone. and all the water
comes down with rush after every rain.
Manufacturing companies everywhere
have found it necessary to make artiti-
clal reservoirs to take the place of the
lost natural reservoirs. Hills that were
once forest-covercd. are bleak masses
OF rock, growing drer year by year
II there was ever an instance of killing
the goose that lays golden eggs. it is in
this method of treating our northern for
estS. In hundreds of valleys. where
water was abundant in former years. the
water line in the ground is now below
the reach of ordinary wells. The ten
dencv is toward that condition which in
a century or two will compel resort to
irrigation for ordinary agricultural pur-
poses.
Living as | do at Lonesome Lake
among my grand old trees. and loving
them individually, knowing them by their
several features and considering them as
personal friends. am tempted to use the
argument of sentiment. But sentiment
Is nowhere in this age. The dollar is the
argument. Therefore it becomes us. who
desire to preserve our forests. to make
plain to farmers (whO control legislation
whenever they see their interests affect
ED that there is more money for them.
for their farms and their children. in pre-
serving than in cutting away the timber
which now remains on New England
hills.
special honor is due to Mr.. Battell
and all other Vermont men who look on
the forests as among the most valuable
possessions of the Green Mountain State,
valuable if kept, valueless if cut away
| wish there were more such men in New
Hampshire.
1--WE remained over two golden days at
the Breadloaf Inn. We drove up to a
beautiful little pond in the deep forest
on the mountain. where Mr. Battell has
a bOathouse and boats, and where trout
are said to be abundant. But the snow
water was still trickling through the
woods. and the water was lev and we got
no trout | took a dozen with fly in a
brook close by the Inn and put them
back for the benefit of some of those who
will be in few weeks enjoying this
mountain home.
"lhen we drove down the mountain
to Middlcbury. The Ripton gorge. up
which we had come and down which we
went. i, worth coming to Vermont to see.
The road winds down the side. while a
torrent rOars through the deep ravne
hundreds of feet below. The outlook
westward from the summit j. far over
Lake Champaign, bounded by the Adj
rondack range. The forests. now in full
foliage, cling to the prccipitous sides and
seem to lean over and almost meet above
the dark depths in which the water
thunderS. Sometimes the road descend,
to the level of the stream. and then the
anglers eye is delighted at sight OF grand
holes where the flood pour> milky white
over rocks and tails out black and deep
under moss-covered precipice>. The
drive from the Breadloaf Inn to Middle
bury will take rank for grandeur and
beauty. combined and alternating. with
any drive in all the world"