Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-11-08
ABOUT FORESTRY.
ITS PROGRESS INA TREELEsS STATE
OF THE WEST.

by the Lumber Men-The Annual Rain
faIl-Forestry in the State of New York.
Objects.
In writing on forestry Gen. James S.
Brisbin, U. s. A, not only presents the
general features of his theme, but de-
scribes the peculiarities and uses of each
American tree. While S,000,000 trees are
cut in this country every year only ,000,-
| 600 are planted To reproduce the for
ests that have been cut away would take
| forty generations. OF course no one de-
sires to turn the country into a wilder
| ness again, but there is danger line in
| forest destruction that has already been
| passed in many localities in America as
in whole regions, now the scene of DESC
lation, in Europe
When Gen. Brisbin turned forester the
subject had made no public impression.
Few journals could be induced to give
him a hearing. One of the first to aid
him with his pen was William Cullen
Bryant. The progress that has been
made is not insignificant. Nebraska,
once called the treeless state, is covered
with young forests, and will soon be as
well timbered as an eastern state For
several years past from 100000 to
20,000,000 trees have been set annually
in that state. It's arbor day is an annual
holiday. The governor of Nebraska offers
a large reward each year to the family
that will set out the greatest number of
forest trees. when was there" the
general writes, lit was $500 for the first
premium, S40O for the second, and so on
down to S25. Even the women and chill
could AL
diplomas, and great was the competition
for these rewards of the state. Patches
of timber have sprung up everywhere,
and where few years ago only the naked
plain was seen, now waves a goodly for
est" Trees 10 and 12 years old are 80
feet high and s to 10 inches in diameter
Forest trees well cared for grow with
great rapidity in the west. Sage brush
land when irrigated will produce from
twenty-five to fifty bushels of wheat per
acre. The general gives many instances
of the remarkably rapid growth of young
forests planted in Nebraska. He has no
doubt that all thee plains between the
Missouri river and the Rocky mountains
can be covered with trees if the friends
OF forestry persevere.
Speaking of the destruction of the for
ests, Gen. Brisbin says that one firm alone
in western state runs 200 saws. In
Wisconsin lumber amounting in quantity
to 1,030,0 900 feet was cut in a single
year. At the present rate, ten or, at the
most, twenty years will make an end of
the forests in Michigan, Minnesota and
Winconsin. 1t requires $4,000 acres of
Wisconsin timber to supply the Kansas
and Nebraska markets alone. New York
has lost her walnut, maple and hickory,
and has no forests left except in the
Adirondacks.
The island Of Santa Cruz, in the West
Indies, which twenty-five or thirty years
ago was a garden is now almost desert
in consequence of cutting away the forests.
Owing to the same cause many of our
American rivers have lost half their USE
fulness. The Connecticut is hardly navi-
gable, and the Kennebec and Merrimac
have shrunk fourth. The Potomac
has lost nearly one fourth of its volume,
and the Hudson has declined one sixth.
The recent almost instantaneous and very
destructive July flood in the Monongahela
river is calculated to make the people of
the Ohio valley thoughtful on the subject
of disappearing forests. The loss of
millions and the sweeping away of hun
dreds of comfortable homes and industrial
improvements as the result Of single
hard rain is heavy tax to pay for neglect
to prevent the waste of trees
New York has taken hold of the forestry
question with considerable earnestness.
Over 200 fire wardens have been appointed
throughout the state to prevent forest
fires. The New York forest commission
has twenty-five foresters in it's employ,
located in the eleven northern counties.
Trespassers have been compelled to re-
imburse the state on account of timber
taken Timber thieving and the spolia-
tion of forests have been stopped. The
York forest commission was appointed to
preserve the forests for the following OBJ
jects:
First-For the value of the timber, both
present and future.
Second-For the value of forests as |
anitariums-health resorts for invalids, |
summer breathing places for all.
Third-Fot the conservation Of the |
sources of water supply. Both science
and observation agree that forests are
the great reservoirs that hoard the rain
fall to feed brooks and rivers. The
streams of Europe have shrunk as the
forests have been cut away. Our own
streams are following on in the same
tract.
Fourth-For the increase of rainfall.
Cautious scientific men are not yet ready
TO assert that forests increase the rain
fall, but the theory has many supporters
and the belief is fast growing that forests
IRE such an important factor in supplying
moisture that it is most dangerous pol
cy to strip the country of its trees.
Fifth-For the climatic and sanitary
influence of forests. There can be little
loubt that forests are great equalizers OF
temperature, render the surrounding
country less liable to violent winds, alb
,orb malarial and noxious vapors, and act
n many ways benefcially to human
health.
A remarkable illustration of the fact
hat the clearing of hilly countries is
ikely to result in the complete failing of
prings is given by Mr.. Ney, who states
hat in Provence, France, after all the
live forests, which had been frozen,
we're cut down, great number of springs
allied totally. In the city of Orleans,
lfter the surrounding heights had been
hus cleared, nearly all the wells dried
10. ana it became necessaryto go to the
,eadwaters of the river Little Loire for a
The The state of New York is fortunate in
fiji owning the most of the Adirondack
egion, covered with the primitive ior.
SITS. It has also a forest preserve OF
ver 46. 900 acres in the Catskll region
yncinnati Commercial Gazette.
AC. r,onnAocturer is now making