The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-02
THE Sun, TUESDAY, AUGUST ? 1877

the pines the mountain ashes and the sprues OF tne
extreme North In these forests the chestnut 70
Its greatest size. Tho wild cherry produces uunksN
feet In diameter and the tulip trees SEND up s'ems
uih more massive. The white OAK, tne reo
oak, the black oak. tho chestnut oak. ana tho
scarlet oak attain hero their greatest hoRn'
and sirth OF stem hero the snowdrop tree. or hees"
the shruoby ornament of our Northern eAruenS.
develops great trunk free OF branches Tor
feet above the ground hero arc tho greatest ASH
trees on the continent the nobost hiekoros anu the
tsilest and siateliest hcmiocks In this wonderfui
region the ealmia grows to the dimens'ohs OF
Eoodsizod apple tree, the tupeo 10 forest giant ANA
the rhododendrons tree.like In size ana haoie
Tho sweet birch OF the Smokes dwarfs the biggest
birch trees OF the North. and tho sugar naples OF
new England are as psmies in comparison win tue
maple trees OF South. In early spring inc moor OF
The forest Ia lighted up by the fiery heads OF Antot
"pendaooed. which decks for miies tho upper noun
tain slopes with solid masses OF bloom. while hrn'ed
aroortseens dips Its pure white fragrant flowers into
every mountain brook"
The reason why such o park should be
laid out without delay may be found In the
letter OF correspondent OF Garden ana
Forest. who describes the ravages wrought
by the axe In Doe River Valley. The best
walnut trees and cherry trees IN that
region have been bought up singly
by spectators. and turned into lum-
Der. 30 that 1t is hard now to lind
there giant tree Of either sort. Even
some OF the most remote valleys OF tho
Smoky Mountains. difficult as they are to
reach. have lost their best tulip trees; and
at the present rate OF destruction another
generation may find that all the best growth
Is gone. This Is the account which the
correspondent gives of Doe Valley:
Here twenty year, ago could be seen these 70 2
n hal and nat efna
eort in forest production In the number OF species
OF which they composed and In tho size and beauty
OF individual trees these Southern forests surpass
every other deciduous forest Of tho earth But tho
magnihcence OF the forest OF tho Doc River
Valley 10 u thing OF the past: twenty saw mills
and = dossn tinnerles strung along tho line of tho
narrowgauge railroad have doue their work efect.
ually. First tho black wAnuts went. and then tho
Cherries for which this valley was famous. When
these were consumed. the lumbsrmen turned their at
tention to tho yellow poplar Lfodndron fu'ipfern);
their work has been done thoroughly: stumps OF this
tree seven or eight feet are common enough.
butthe big trees all gone. Now they are cutting
white oakS and the hemlocks for tan bark. Large
hemocks however can st be found near the streams.
and on the rst bench above tho river stand as nno
chestnut trees as can be on the continent"
The question how such q park should be
laid out is not wholly easy to determine.
or course. the first point would be the
CiolCo vi u SlJc. duu rs W LllhI LILO IuOSU uc-
sirable reservation would be ono which has
not yet been invaded and Is still In its
primeval grandeur. The cost Of acquiring
1t would be loss. and tho objection found
ed on its inaccessibility for visitors
would quickly disappear. since Its use
as national park would soon bring
railways toward it. Possibly some State
might take tho preliminary steps. out OF
pride In making the reservation State
institution for general enjoyment. The
region selected would doubtless be in North
Carolina or Tennessee. or both. and probably
in the Big Smoky Mountains or In one OF
the cross ranges connecting them with tho
Blue Ridge. On many accounts it would be
desirable to make such reservation a
national pleasure ground: and il Congress
men from that region should take up the
matter. the project might be realized at
next winters session Of Congress.