The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-31

of well timbered land but how to restore
to the rest the value that these patches |
still have is the question. Had judicious
management of the whole prevailed and
had it been in hands that could have
afforded to manage it as the forests OF
Europe are managed, that is, been made
to yield constant income, these lands
would, no doubt, be as valuable now as
ever they were, But their owners, even
under such conditions, would have
lacked the knowledge of forestry neces-
sary to success in such contemplated
management.
At present all that could be done here,
Mr.. Bliss believed, was TO try some not
costly experiments with view to learn
ing what quick growing trees could be
brought into these open places in the
forests, these to be set at the same time
with evergreens, pine perhaps, the for
mer to be removed when large enough
to pay for the lumber and the conifers
left to grow.
The town of Woodford owned several
lots of land mostly forest lands. Mr..
Bliss was glad to know that their man
agement was likely to be better than 1t
had heretofore been. The question OF
how small timber should be cut on them
was under discussion by the authorities.
Here was case of the control OF public
lands by the constituted authorities. 1t
was certainly the duty of those in au
thority to care for the interests Of pos
terity, as well as for those of the present
generation.
There are large masses of young
spruces now growing all over this noun
tain where only few years since large
crops of potatoes, oats and grass were
grown. Had these lands come into pine
instead of spruce they would have been
exceedingly valuable though worthless
at present. Occasionally pine stands
among them which show what the prod
uct would now be had it been pine
One hundred millions of feet of just such
pine is said to be the annual product OF
the States of New Hampshire and Yer
mont. The crop requires about 80 years
to mature. Though not valuable for
lumber to any great extent, it is used for
pals and other small manufactures OF
pine, and actually yields az much money
return per acre as any other wood chest
nut or oak for instance. Whether pine
can be introduced on to these mountains
to advantage is a question. Students OF
forestry say it can, but experience alone
can determine. Several of the lumber
men of Woodford are going to try and
see what can be done.
These masses of young spruces add
greatly to the beauty of these mountains,
said Mr.. Bliss. They skirt the edges OF
the large woods with green border, an
ever green border in fact. They are
| lrooo,.,c, 60 fha.r hnatrfxr &c h.
less as wood lands. And in time he said
the beauty of this mountain region
would be appreciated. There was
commercial value in beautiful scenery
that Americans were slow to find, he
said. New Hampshire begins to discov'
er it, and is taking legislative steps tc
secure it, for the benefit of her people.
Paris has long known that a beautiful
city is a mine of wealth. No American
city has made the discovery though
Washington has an mixing of its truth
Paris, Mr.. Bliss said, is reported to have
discarded electric lights, as its beauties
were less glowing under its glare than
under the softer gas-light 1t would be
characteristic of Paris and of Paris
alone, to do this. Americans would in
time perhaps find commercial value in
beauty, and also what is more important
love it for its own sake. A real love oil
beautiful scenery and country life Is
increasing in Americans, a hopeful sign.
One of the difficulties of forest man
agement was the danger from fire. The
destruction of forests by fire was in
some cases very great, but the last Cen
sus, Sargent's report, showed, Mr.. Bll's
said, that Vermont was one of the very
least sufferers from this source.
Mr.. Bliss read, with their permission,
brief extracts from communications ia
him from several of the most eminent
forestry promoters of the country. They
were all of an encouraging nature. The
talk" was illustrated by several OF
Prof. Sargent's maps. By one of these
it is probable that our Bennington coun-
ty forests are now the densest in the
State and among Eastern forests are sur
passed by none except few of those re-
naming in Maine and in the Adiron-
dacks, and it is doubtful if these are now
more dense owing to the recent inroads
upon them. The "talk" was converse
tional as the term implies, was partici-
pated in by those in the audience as il
went along for an hour and half, and
ended by the reading by Mr.. Bliss,
who said he should recommend his
friend, Mr.. Bradford, to reGd it to all his
audiences in lumber towns hereafter,
Lowells code to a Pine Tree" begin
ming
Far up on Katahdin thou towerest"