New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-09
NEW-ENGLAND FORESTS.
WAYS AND MEANS FOR THEIR IMPROVE
MENT AND PERPETUATION.
NEED OF JUDIcIoUs HARvEsTING-wHAr THE
STATE CAN DO TO STIMULATE PRAc-
TICAL INTEREST.

,uho.s, Maze Juno TO who considers
the havoc that century past has made with the pro
duc.ive power Of New England soil, with the forests
> once her pride and with the various manufactures
~ wood that we're formerly almost monopoly In her
/ hands some startling alternatives appear Her
forests gone her streams dried up her farms deserted
! "A bad outlook for business lie may recover from
This dcnresIon 70 perceive that while the problem Of
| the migrating tendency Of both men and money pro
gresslvcIy confronts the East compelling solution al
the opton Of great loss. intertwincd with these I'M
toward conditions are possibilities OF reversal ana tha
active measures incipcnt well advanced ana rooted
in the tcnactes Of the Pilgrim nature arc al work 10
Offset the difficulties and rcfute all cToaRefs' Inc
,rcsent observations have reference TO the forestry
problem as bearing upon business interests. The
country I'm past times has derived great revenues
from her forests and still docs Large sums are en-
Moved in manufactures whose raw material Is wood
NJ native kinds and army Of laborcrs INA employ
ment planting their hearthstoncs there Each prop
.rlv divided farm has small annual incomes from
timber land II may wisely provide for their con
tru,ncc. Hence. as a source Of prosperity. every
citizen is interested in both the increase and the ap
preciaon Of forest lands. The supply must be kept
good.
e far as worn ont soils concerned, the problem
is hcnr solved by efficient means for the diffusion Of
scientific knowledge. and by systematic experiments
i, r.,ov,,lon which have already passed into the
assurance Of Successful practice. The massachusetts
Agricultural College. generously patronizcd by the
state and under the shllful direction Of President
II II Coodcll has trinmphs in arboricuturc worth
trim 10 sec n Is natural centre OF efforts IN inc
cause Of forestry Each year It graduates class Of
ovrerts in tree culture who like trained specialists
in medicine arr well grounded In general practice
They can prepare the soil n Grow the tree Every
Eastern state has similar Institutions These IN
nuenccs act as a sinking fund To Offset the buidchs
n, New England agriculture and will ultimately pre-
vail against the pressure OF outside comp'uuon'
science wins In every struggle.
with respect 70 forest lands, cwEneland' morc
than most parts - America. has extensive areas
,t,ried n timber only. These arc distant forests a.
vct inaccessible or tracts near 90 markc' t''' nave
hecn several times cut over. The latter hcod s"'h
r-o,,,,ioo against destruction nav BE- gwen ana
rIll then take care ~ Themselves. nature o''' wv
work. with unf,llng certainty and f6iu'y' al SOM
oxponec q time and vet. on the whole ~ VIC '"'hp
go vsv There s no default IN the conditions tl"'
.o,.- 1.r soil ,iih trees Abandon View England
c,.f.-. u VIII presently become wilderness. hnt
o.,o- a., ,-f and as such area Lapse inio OBLIVION
o, civilized appearance. tho forestry problem move
on p, ,oluiion. hndercd only hy the tornado ana ''
whriv.nd u flame
sri naturally a. arabic any IN tho 'anc ''u''''
IN that - D,ro,, ~ tho Fat called Maine lie whole
town hin. without civilized abode. along WHOSE lakes
roam, hear and caribou in the shade %! towering pines
Tie state can AFFORD 10 facilitate the Manufacture ."
ALI such timber under terms that shall socnf" INC Im
movement u land. thu, cleared. or protect mo
s'ur,ra-e fDr Second growth. To" pfc'cni vain" j.
,.-., rotertlI and not con .taut ~ that cheap -
tir and water.
Tho c.strnr'oa - forests and the effects upon
climate and water supply g. favortc theme. Con
,,n.lors rceaed.us ~ arc often ha.cd upon oo'c'''
.u.r. along c.ord-d tlorourAftf"- and are d"l''
f,. fruc f- rrlly settled localities. but are nos
always similarly applicable 10 outlying FOREST ""'''
Au error c. In Assuming hat fnis cut over r"'rr' '
d..crt instead u second growth. speaking or y"
Enfiard alone. % is confidently asserted thi' moro
growing timber stands within her lmt' da' than
Cr~ wears ago. SO exception. however. Il, taken Z"
n.arr, that may be approved ." preserve nc N'Hh'
= important rivers E,cry acrc Il Land not more
,auabc for other purposes should be compelled I"
grow tree. 10 :. f. the common good that large
tract, in every state he appropriated g., forest PARK"
ar judicously improved for sporting ard residential
rurrose. Tho h~arts . fore lovers amen 20 the
ri,ns of the Adirondack club. recently outlined. m
Increasing revenue f. pr posed. This. - course means
that timber viii be- utilized - some extent mine,
any appreciated. roads laid "ut. and foundations ~
coa-cnal character encouraged. The Tuxedo Of tie
future may cover countlc, New England can Nc
commodaie a score Of them. While Sew York ,tri"c,
~ lcg.slate for state Park Seq England allows
private enterprise a. prepare the way for her Whit
Mountain paradise. which ~ the present rate viii be
realized about the date 81 Mr. Bcllam', ideal Boston
y may we'll assist the course ~ event. somewhat
and II thI, be- done the White Mountain park IS ar
easy possibility for the year 1900.
More b, being done IN practical forestry upon
small scale than Is generally known. traveller
through Western Massachusetts and Vermont Observes
that farmers arc culryatng groves Of Young sugar
maple TO replace veteran trees. lie secs ash and
hickory sprouts carefully prc-crvcd along fences and
water ciurses. lie notes that many an owner trims
q grove Of snpnr pine often burning on the needles
ln rne Southern fashion. A. rule with individuals.
the question j. practical one recurring T. matter 81
cash Sentiment Is not element in their oalcula
Tons Tn, generic idea 81 forests for climatic
rc,sons has no fascination n is attended vita 100 much
speoiAc cost. In fact they sometimes realize that
those tres have ALREADY been kept too l0ng Hardly
. good sized tree over 100 years old nov standing has
made per cent upon value during the last twenty.
years and In the average instance tho loss has been
at three times that rate. due not only 10 decline in
price ~ lumber but also 20 decline IN quality. Every
buyer Of timber knows the risk he runs IN tree, from
Old estates that were ripe century ago and have
bccn kept look 1T since; the hearts grow scanned
and brittle. knot, decay, worms infcs higher sections.
and stains atsund.
Timber should be cut when ripe lhc any other crop
Gentlemen foresters we'll advise letting rprncd
corn remain moisen and fcrtlzc It's field urge
the preservation Of forest trees for similar reasons.
Trees which fall and decay are wasted. That waste
within the limits Of the United states is very great
lie no Ia, lain IN camp and heard In the unnatural
stiffness preceding storms that strange. dull like
distant cannon, Of mighty trees laid low. and con
sdcrcd how hourly and yearly numbers Of forest
kings 90 down 10 death npon million, Il acres in
occe' bic may be led 10 view tho problem lights
AZ variance with the philosopher. wondering why this
potential wealth f. not appreciated, why lumber is
imp rted when better stock +, rotng here, and If the
assumed necessity Of water supply In districts where
water unhndered 10 the warrants the burden
o an unproductvc and therefore vnluclc area. Much
more may he marvel at the unwisdom Of him who |
boards wasting forest In the face of persuasive
market that timber Sold the interest on the cash re
turns might foster second crop on twice the area
The New England problem differ. In detail from the
same In relation Ia praires and southern plains |
There tree seed may be sown Sprou, set out |
upon an extensive scale. greatly faci- |
taed by machinery; and. too, upon |