New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-30
FOREST PRESCRIPTIONS.
DANGERS THAT THREATEN THE ADJ.
RONDACK PRESERVE
RUIN THE STATE PARK-THE ORIGINAL
PIA s DEPARTED FROM


PLA s DEPARTED FROM
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: The State Park a generous and bene
icent conception. The great northern forest at.
forded the means and the opportunity for secur-
ing the most useful and valuable possession for
common enjoyment that ever within the reach
of any people The felicity OF the situation was that
the State owned large part of the land, and what
more was needed MI out the boundaries OF
peoples park. unique and unequalied, could DO
readily acquired.
Besides this object, so desirable there was com.
manding necessity that justified reasonable ex-
penditure to complete that great design Here are
natural fountains and watersheds that SEND their
waters not only to all ,onhern New-York. but
they create the Moha wk and fill the upper channel
of the Hudson until that channel reaches an arm OF
the sea. The navigation OF the Hudson TO the
capital will become mpracticabe unless the supply
of It's upper waters be maintained. and thus ~
water storage of the Adirondacks is matter OF
practical concern TO the whole State.
This being the situation, 1t was seen hat the swift
approach of numbering threatened the practical ex-
fnction of these forests which were the only
efficient and the only possible conseryators OF The
streams having their sources in that upland region.
There were no watcr-bearing strata On those priu-
tive rocks that afforded springs to feed The streams
There the only water came from the CLOUDS 'ily
the forests which had slowly struggled into ex-
iStence through long ages Couu VI lfilt' III '"
arrest and detan the SHOWS and the rain ana a' as
a reservoir for the storage Of water supply WGh-
ont this forest covering and especially II the ever
green trees the spruce. the hemlock ana the pine'
be removed the winters mass or snow ara 'hs
rains of spring must descend in violent torrents
and these being once exhausted, the cnanneis OK
the streams must remain comparatively dry through
out the summer. Hence the supreme necessity OF
preserving untouched that providence OF nature
which retains az that elevation the accumulated
SHOWS and rains which gradually pour out con-
slant supply at all seasons. and thus prevent the
destructive alterations OF flood and drought
To appreciate the danger OF the preserve from inc
invasion of lumbermen. permitted ~ the ii-thVised
law Of the las session and now being encouraged
bv the commission need TO know the fofmation
Of that region and the nature OF the envelope 'has
forms It's soil The I.aurentian range OF which
those heights are a pant the frs that emerged
TO form this continent. The elements at work there
for countless ages have only been able 10 produce
that thin and inert soil almost wholly Vese'aDle'
IN which those forests stand. Even now the growth
OF trees on those heights Is extremely SLOW irees
on clearngs abandoned 10 a second growth more
than sixty years ago have not reached the statur"
Of the surrounding forest The fact to be kept IN
view is that these forests far as they are de-
stroyed will not be restored by the forces OF nature
nor by the work of man.
We hear reports of Mr. Vanderbilts project TOT
forest culture in North Carolina In that lautude
and elevation and that soil there Is no opstacie
10 its success. But given the latitude elevation
and soil of the Adirondacks, such an attempt wouio
utteriv fail Looking to useful and practical results
IN that region. all that be accomplished Is the
preservation of the forest and the vegetable deposit
that has clothed that upland during the lapse OF
MANY ages Any deduction from the growing OK
trees in rich alluval soils in a favoring climate.
n show that they can be usefully produced ana
reproduced in this mountain region. in this 'hin'
sterile and vegetable deposit, leads TO delusWe
fallacy Any such conclusion Ignores WHOLLY inc
vital and essential difference in physical coniiohs'
our need Of the forests is abiding, and for every
year. Why talk Of cutting them away in the vague
hope that possibly after long intervals they may De
replaced? We hear of crops Of timber raised by
culture II need that the State should engage
be sensible But for the exissncy hand. and for
the maintaining of the annual water sipp:; tns
is about as chimercal a scheme for the cultiva-
ton Of century plants. expecting annual ho"er'
As has been said. the water supply is only what
falls the surface The origin OF the F1SEy suu,
springs No artes!an well could there reach water;
AZ the point Of saturaton by the vegetable envelope
whose moisture Is in great part indeed wholly pre- pre-
the large evergreens cut away as proposed, ,hat
spongy vesetab!e mass which is the enle, fe d
reservoir Will begin TO dry, ana eVaP9rHSutom NJ t
carry rs waters. not TO the streams ana akes' oo'
This vegetable deposit when dried Will burn freely
when SET on fire as II will be by the debris OF
ibns ashcs no new forest viii grow for still other
ages With widespread numbering operations ana
a eysn IL fE Sy a Go the drying Of
surface by the cutting off Of the larger trees down
eonseTset breakns DOWN of the smaller Will Ia
tally diminish the water supply . .,o ,,s,,rc.
OF Governor Flower. allows the larger evergreen
trees which, for the td poPsnt 81 and e much
the larger and better half. to be taken by lumber
ec is Is Of 90 the forest Viii in
10 water storage. Re reduced on a given area ares, 10y
result on the twenty-seven square miles Just sold
by the commission when the large trees are re-
No rational defence can be made for measures
that may seriously impair those upland waters h n
supply. now deficient Is FALLING ana mas iols See 81
failing. II should be increased by the grown o,
have In any view. preservation Is me 3ny s Ths
policy. Every acre cut OFF IS certain loss is
acres allowed by the recent sale mill-owners, Is
matter Of curious and urgent concern .,.- ..,,.
the combined mili-owners. finding mat they can on
tnis valuable timber at patry price VII VIII
:new era heraIdei IN the message viii soon make
OF a large part OF the preserve a dismal jungle Of
debris. broken down trees ana saddles sue" do
The original policy was 10 safeguard the trees
OF the preserve: the new era invites the Ies,.uS
The genuine policy OF preservation was TO keep out
the lumberman's axe 1t Is now swung exu!ting g IN
OF streams and rivers. their water-power ana
the safety OF our citizens living along ther courses
engaged attention: the new era disrogards al
these, and is concerned only In stocking Sawnills
ana selling "stumpage' to lumbermen ~ prices
that make them laugh in their s!eeyes-lt Irl ICES
only just short of donation. Heretofore The toro
beauty OF the preserve has been preferred 10 81
cents a thousand for timber: the new era ietorms
the fair cOunenance OF the virgin forest with lum,
berng "slashes' the most dismal dre1ry ara
uncanny spectacles ever beheld the face OF Nat
After all the effort establish this forest pre-
serve, so ytaily necessary to large portions OF me
find these forest lands virtually In the hands Of tho
only enemies they ever had TO fear Ii was to
exclude umberag that the policy OF the preserve
was Initiated. Ii be only Rescued oy repeating
that has opened II to the raids OF numbering
a II necessary 10 stop the sales or me
States the forests. so II IL now equally
imperative stop the sale OF the trees TO save tne
preserve. Let an end be put 20 the sro,esiue ao-
surllty Of pretending 10 maintain PARK rom
which the most valuable of the trees are sold ana
those most essential 10 al its proper objects \
park shorn down to a twelve-inch standard Is not
GEORGE w. SMITH.
IIerkimer, " Y. Jan. 49, 1894.