St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-05-18
COVINGTON PARISH, MAY S,
THE GREATEST FOREST.

THE GREATEST FOREST.
Immensity Of the Timber Lands ef Dis
tant siberia.
''Where is the greatest forest in the
world?"
The question was asked in the for
estry section of the American assOcia-
tion for the advancement of science. at
its recent annual meeting in Brooklyn.
The Importance of forests for equaliz-
ing the climate and the rainfall of the
globe was under discussion. and the
purpose of the question was to show
where the great forest trees OF the
world are situated.
One member, replying ofhand. was
inclined to maintain that the greatest
continuous tract of forest lies north of
the st. Lawrence river, in the prov
inces of Quebec and Ontario, extending
northward to Hudson bay and Labra-
dor; q region measuring about seven
teen hundred miles in length from east
to west, and thousand miles in width,
north and south.
A professor from the Smithsonian
institution rejoined that a much larger
continuous area OF timber lands was to
be fonnd, reckoning from those in the
state of Washington northward through
British Columbia and Alaska. But he
limited his statement to North Amer
lea, for he added that, in his opinion,
the largest forest in the world occu-
pied the valley of the Amazon, embrac-
ing much of northern Brazil. eastern
Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and
Guiana; a region at least twenty-one
hundred miles in length by thirteen
hundred in breadth.
Exception was Immediately taken to
this statement by several members
who. in the light of recent explora-
tions, have computed the forest area
of Central Africa in the valley of the
Congo, including the headwaters of
the Nile to the northeast, and those of
the Zambesi on the south. According
to their estimates, Central Africa con-
tails a forest region not less than
three thousand miles in length from
north to south, and of vast. although
not fully known width, from east to
west. Discussion, in which the evil
dence afforded by travels and surveys
was freely cited, seemed favorable to
the defender of the Amazonian forests
Later in the day the entire question
was placed in another light, by menu
Der who was SO fortunate as to he able
to speak from some knowledge of still
another great forest region of the
globe. This gentleman gave a vivid
picture of the vast, solemn taigas and
urmans, the pine, larch and cedar for
ests of Siberia.
1t appears that Siberia. from the
plain of the Obi river on the west to
the valley of the Indighirka on the
east, embracing the great plains, or
river valleys, of the Yenisei, Olenek,
Lena and Yana rivers, is one great tim
ber belt. averaging more than a thou
sand miles in breadth from north to
south-being fully seventeen hundred
miles wide in the Yenesei district-and
having a length from east to west of
not less than forty-six hundred versts,
about three thousand miles.
Unlike equatorial forests, the trees
of the Siberian taigas are mainly conf
fers. comprising pines of several varie.
ties, frs and larches. In the Yenisci,
Lena and Olcnek regions there are
thousands of square miles where no
human being has ever been. The long
stemmed conifers rise to q height of
a hundred and fifty feet or more, and
stand SO closely together that walking
among them is difficult.
The dense, lofty tops exclude the
pale Arctic sunshine, and the straight,
pale trunks, all looking exactly alike,
that all sense of direction is soon lost
Even the most experienced trappers of
sable dare not venture into the dense
taigas without making the precaution
of."blazing" the trees constantly with
hatchets as they walk forward. II lost
there. the hunter rarely finds his way
out. but perishes miserably from star
vation or cold. The natives avoid the
taigas and have q name for them
which signifies places where the
mind is lost"
The discussion was closed very ap-
propriately by Prof. Fernow, of Wash
ington. with an illustrated lecture
which showed how, in the earlier ages,
forests had covered all the continental
areas. and had rendered the climate
cquable to a degree now unknown.
At first human beings battled with
the forest in q fitful manner, making
small clearings for themselves; but
gradually, by the aid of fire and of
have SO far prevailed in the struggle
for supremacy that the forests are
hopelessly conquered. But graveevils
follow their determination; and now
the question is, how to foster, protect
and preserve them.-Youth's Compan-
ion.