The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-02


duction of timber than for any other
crop, and which would be worth more
than it IS to-day if forest conditions had
always been maintained on it. But
timber land here needs to be handled
with judgment and foresight. II has to
be protected against fire and pasturage,
of course, and unless the timber, when
1t has grown, is cut off intelIigently,
forest land is not always a good perma
nent investment. II is the opinion of
many Of our intelligent lumbermen that
much of our timber land might be
made more profitable by improved
methods of management.
The result of our system of cultiva.
tion, as shown in many of the farms in
all the older parts of our country which
have not been abandoned, and the in
clination of so many of our people to
seek their fortunes by leaving tEeir
early homes, point to the fact that con-
siderable proportion of our material!
success has been achieved by the par
tial exhaustion of our capital in the fer
tiity of the soil. We have amassed
wealth by robbing the future, and we
are transmitting our impaired and dauv
aged heritage to those who come
u5. Whatever may be the
the abandoned farms of this STATE, the
methods of culture widely followed in
our country have seriously diminished
the productive capacity of the soil, and
many farms in other parts of the United
States would IN time be abandoned If
there we're still, as formerly, bound
less area OF virgin land for our people to
appropriate. Perhaps we may in time
come to understand that the earth is
adapted to yield living to a considera-
BILE number of men if they will wisely
till 1t and husband its capacities ; but
that its resources are not profuse
enough to sustain IndOlent luxury or
careless waste, aud that toll and scant
indulgence are, in the long run, inevita-
ble for the mass uf men. Thus far IN
human history slavery and war hav.
been pretty constant condIt ons The
forms change but the essential facts
abide hitherto. and perhaps they may
| still do go.
Inm my Judgment existing conditions
co operate TO make an opportunity for
an important change in the economic
and social elements in tie life OF thu
state. think that many of the aban-
doned farms and many of the hill farm,
which have not been abandoned. would
be good investments for men of meaDs
who live in the cities and who would
like TO have summer homes for thei'
families in the country. The climate ol
our state does not suit everybody, o'
course. But for those whom it doer
SUIT it would be hard TO find anywher
on the planet a more salubrious and de-
| lightful region than this ia for the time
between the first of June and the last Of
October. No other mountain country
hat ! have seen has such expaDses OF
uncontaminaled and vital air. l think
that, looking far ahead, HI few me'
at least should try to do, looking at al
conditions and relations comprehensive.
ly. the best and wisest thing for all con.
carned would be a considerable move.
ment of men Of wealth from the grea
cities of our country to the hill farms nt
this sla'e. They should b. men of in.
ttllrgence. with adequate knowledge
and Judgment for the management OF
their woodlands. so that the growing ol
timber as a crop would be profit able
There is no ground of hope for The
| Iu'u uTe prosperity III Jul pFOplt uuicnF
forest conditions are permanently main
tanned on large proportion of the land
of the state. At the same time a system
of highly concentrated farming should
be followed on whatever land is kept il
cultivation. The ownership Of farm'
here by men from the cities woult
render such methods of culture possible
would give prof able employment tc
many laborers and would increase th'
value of land and the amount of busl'
ness in every part of the state occupied
by the new summer homes. 1t would
he the establishment of better conditions,
the beginning of new order of things
which would he permanently favorable
to the interests of our entire population.
should be glad to stimulate public
interest IN the Investigations which are
now in pregress under the direction OF
the government of this state. and l am
sure that the reports of the New Hamp-
shire Commissioner of Agriculture and
Immigration will deserve the attention
of all students of American ciyiiiz hinn,
F. B. Harrison in Garden and Forest.