, 1889-02-01
PRESERVE THE FORESTS.
Startling Statements Concerning the De-
CT ense In Our Timber.

c1ehse In Our Timber.
One of the most important questions
with which our national and state
legislatures have to deal, and yet one
that is too generally neglected, is that
of the preservation of our forests.
Independent of the fact that they add
to the wealth of the nation at the rate
Of 500, 900, 900 annually, or ten times
more than the output of all our gold
and silver mincs-which alone ought
to secure for them proper care-the
significant conclusions reached by sci
entiflc men, TO the effect that they de-
termine, TO a great extent, the climatic
and the hygienic conditions of our
country, and regulate the distribution
of moisture and the character of both
our great and small water ways, GER
tainly place the preservation of our
timbered lands among the subjects
that should receive the carly, constant
and careful consideration OF our legis-
lators.
1t is estimated by experts who have
devoted much time and thought TO the
inquiry that Mt least 20 per cent. of
the entire agricultural region of any
country should remain permanently
in forests. Twenty years ago it was
hsStllth llldl Nllt ulllludl NlCuTdIlCO vi
woodland throughoutthe United States
amounted to 10, 900, 600 of acres, and
that at this rate individual owners
would ultimately be entirely stripped
Of their holdings. But it is not only
the ax that is destructive TO forests.
Browsing animals and fires are quito
as detrimental. To these injurious
agencies must be added the enterpris-
ing and constituencies railroad con
tractor, who annually destroys 80, 000,-
900 vigorous young trees in his quest
for ties. Taking these and other enc
mics of our forests into account, ii will
be seen that but for tho energetic nc
ton of our national and state govern
ments the terrible calamity of the en-
tire sweeping away of the natural COW
ering of the soil would be among the
possible events of the future-a disas-
ter that would, in half n century, re
duce the greater part of the continent
To the condition of n desert incapable
OF supporting man or beast.
Nor is this a mere flight of the i'm
agination. 1t may seem 10 the super
fetal observer to verge on the extrav-
agant TO talk Of n possible timber fam
inc in u country 50 new as ours, and
one that vas so lately reclaimed from
the forest primoval; :" but it is an UNI
deniable fac hat we are cutting down
u trees far more rapidly than we arc
planting them, and although our in
heritance of timber has been great.
such n policy steadfastly adhered TO in
the future can lead to but one result.
To bring about a better state of things,
an intelligent public sentiment ought
TO be created, and business men and
farmers should be informed how in
timately their prosperity is bound up
with the preservation OF the wooded
land. They should be made to under
stand that by the effect of the forests
on the water courses tho entire naviga-
ton, and much of the transportation,
system of the country is regulated.
Manufacturers are also largely de-
pendent for the water supply for their
factories and mills on the wisdom that
protects the timber lands where these
streams take their rise and through
which they flow. No profitable mill
ing could be done where tho water
course was u torrentduring one-fourth
of the year and a dry bed for the re-
mainder of tho season.
II Is encouraging to note that the
subject is now receiving practical con
slderation in many localities, and
especially i'll this state and in Pennsyl-
vanla. The report of the New York
forestry commission, presented to tho
legislature, contains many interesting
facts and valuable suggestions; while
h Agricultural society of Pennsyl-
vania is actively engaged in spreading
The facts before the people. The cstab-
lishmeut of schools of forestry" in
accordance with the plan that has
worked SO admirably in Germany, is
earnestly recommended, together with
other measures all tending to further
the end in view. On one point all au-
thorities seem agreed-that it is I'M
wise to hand the timber of a
country over to private parties, leav-
ing them independent of all govern
ment control. At one time this state
owned every acre of the Adirondack
region, but this noble domain was
given away with n recklessness that is
scarcely credible, and what ii now
possesses 1t has gained through tax
sales, while its titles are thus of the
most ~precarious character, the land
spectators being engaged in a on
slant struggle TO procure u c~ancella-
uon OF the sale. The wholesale pur-
chase of forest lands from individual
owners Is urged by the commission, to
remedy this state of things, and to
prevent the stock of timber. in the
state from being too largely depleted.
Frank Leslie's Newspaper.
The Duchess UndercIothing.
When the duke and duchess of
wont IN Grna,a IL ~, IL,