The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-04-23

| fEssay read BY ngiss Alice MeIcbior. OF
iJasper, q the observance Of 'sArborl
Day" April 9. 1885, BY the Public
Schools Of Jasper.1
! In looking back over the past. and re-|
fecting on the dates Of the early discov-l
eries and explorations, we can picture In I
Jour minds the vast forests Of stately trees
glowing with blossoms Of scarlet, purple,
Iblue, pink, and golden hues, beautifully
contrasiing with the dark green Of the
GLOSSY leaves. Bright orchids bloom
amid the branches. and huge creepers.
lcIusterod with brilliant flowers, entwiDeI
the trunks and trail from tree TO tree,
until the forests overflow with their
wealth Of beauty. Along the shores of
rivers and streams We find fringes OF
nowering trees stretching DER the waters,
their broad -leaved branches vivid with
thousands OF rosc-tinted blossoms.
The Soutberu forests are the most
beautiful, and consist chiefly Of the live
oak. the palmetto. the gum, the water
lOak, hickories and ash, found In the
coast regions. the stately pines and nrsl
Ion the slopes Of the Apslachians, and
THE white pine, Poplar, hemlock, wild
CHERRY and chesinuts. found also on the
slopes OF mountains, and along the river
valleys.
Passing from the Southern forests 10
the Central, We find beauty more sub.
Idued. The forests here consist not OF
flowing evergreens, but Of the oak, ash,
= maple, birch, chestnut, elm, beech and
walnut, which shed their foliage when
: Winter strives TO win the palm. The
apple, pear, cherry and peach, also
Z abound, and the vine yields its fruitage.
Advancing from the Central to the
! Northern and Western forests, We find
their beauty decreasing. and their extent
Limited. We see only forests Of shrubs,
!, firs, birches and pines, or which the pines
OF CaIif0rnia are the most beautiful.
What marked change we now notice
in the present forestry as compared with
!, that ofthe early date OF discoveries. The
Z Eastern forests are fast disappearing,
!, removed for the tiIlage Of the soil, and
: for timber. In almost all parts the best
!. trees, q the pines, walnut. poplar and
!, cherry, are removed, while the rongh
: vltrees. % the oak, beech, hickory and
4 maple remain.
a This disappearance begins with the
4 date OF the permanent settlements. ~
! those Of Jamestown, Plymouth, Manhat.
4 ten, Providence, " here those parts Of the
II forests, which were selected for the set
q Elements had 10 be cleared, and numer.
J. |ous trees ieiled for the erection OF cabln'
q aud for fuel This disappearance gradu
. ally increased, until at the present tim'
,elit Il greatly marked, and vast forests a
e the pine forests Of Maine and Georgia
= the forests OF the Northern States, ans
. those OF cur own State. especially thos
r consisting Of the walnut, poplar ars
J. cherry, have been destroyed.
Al The effects Of the disappearance Or,
Y. numerous. One effect is on the climate
y Of the country, noticed in our winters
p which are At present more severe thar
4 those OF 20 and 80 years ago. and ths
a frequent, violent wind storms occurring
3 at different intervals, owing to the fac
|. that the cold winds sweep DER the barren
! plains, which at one time were covered
n with forests that Obstructed the fret
: sweep. Another effect is on the increas(
4 or the demand for coal. Az our fores
4 trees disappear, wood used for fuel, be
q comes rarer, . heavy price 10 asked fol
4 il. the people, especially the poor, una
r able to pay the heavy ransom, seek otbeI
means Of securing fuel, and turn them.
selves to the coal mines found in the diff
: ferent parts Of the country. The open
:, ing Of these mines q the same time pro
! duces another effect on the forest trees
Y ss the regions in which the mines ar(
|. found, have to be deprived of their treei
4 that entrances to the openings may b
: secured.
], A third effect u on the lumber trade
'v,lPersons engaged in numbering strip vas
n forests or their trees, and ship wood Il
: lsll parts Of our country and to foreign
z z couutries as long ss they have means ol
: 90 doing. but II the forests are barren
Z Z and not repIanted again, wood secured
! lin the native forests, 81 small expense
will have to be obtained from distant
). forests ct : heavy ransom, and II thOse
!. persons are not able to pay the price o
! wood, and the expenses incurred b.
I chipping, business will gradually de-
= crease, and many . business house bf
J. closed.
I A fourth effect Il on beauty. II The
= trees Of the forests are stripped. the dain.
4 " ferns and mosses, the pretty wild
T flowers, and the rippling streams dow
7 ing in The rocky wales. will not Be pro
4 tected b. the foliage Of the trees. the i'm
pending rays Of the sun will strike them
causing the 1owers and moses 20 witheI
end die, and the waters Of the riIIs q
dry out, leaving the bed Of rocks vacant
. With no trace Of their presence. but thu
i grooves washed BY them In their rip
: ping course.
Or I'll vegetation. that 10 the form o.
4 trees 10 the most important. Trees ars
the very foundation Of the lumber trade
by mssns Of them lumber 10 obtained
which serves = IN article Of commerce
Lumber 10 shipped to aIl parts OF th'
q country, aud 70 distant countries q well
i which Offers every inducement for th'
. lumber trade. The most valuable lum
Q Der 10 that obtained from the asb. poplar
! pine, gum. cherry aud walnut, used fo
!, building material, for furniture. for i'm
plements, etc., and the oak, maple, hick
ory and beech, used for fuel, and b!
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