The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-06

president, is an absolute necessity for
Utah. Without it the fertile valleys
will again become deserts. 1t is true
tkat in some cases the farmers are
making small efforts to plant trees.
They 10 a great deal of good in the
lowlands but it is in the canyons, the
base of the water supply, that action
IS needed. The spoiler has been al
lowed to get in too much of his deadly
work already, and it is time that leg
islation, with its power, took a hand
,and asserted itself. DR.. Park favors a
union of the various societies of Utah,
which, when united under one COM
mon head, will be capable of doing A
great deal of good in this matter. If
the committees which the associati ton
has appointed do not do the work as
signed he is IL favor of selecting new
ones ard continuing the fight.
The remarks of DR.. Park were
prompted by the reading Of a paper at
the meeting last night on the subject
OF THE influence of Forestry on eli
mate" The thesis wound up by
sharp rap over the knuckles of the
members for non-attendance and gen
er2l lack of interest. 1t was a fitting
lime for such action. For the last
three or four meetings the attendance
has beer very light indeed. The chair
man and secretary, together with four
or five regular attendants, have made
up the meetings.
The paper referred to was a. very
interesting one. 1t began with the as
sertion that the tree is the best friend
man has yet he has, by his actions,
5 CO nsidered it as his worst enemy and
done all in his power 20 destroy it. At
tfF11n in the history of the country
over 5000, 900 OF acres Of trees were
destroyed in the clearing Of lands, and
it is matter of record that in one
year 49, 900. COO of acres were burned
over in order to get rid of the timber
which covered the tract. Man is said
TO erect monuments of progress along
his path. But in this country it APP
pears as though he had been Destroy
ing them.
In relation to the influence of forests
on climate the paper recited the in
stances of ancient Syria and Persia.
Once they were the homes of thous-
ands and thousands Of intelligent and
happy people; the land was described
as ole which flowed with milk and
honey Now they are the abiding
places of nomad tribes and are barren
plains liz the main. Africa and Europe
are examples. too, of the same destroy
ing policy. The fault lies with man,
who has robbed these places of the
trees.
In this country, vigorous measures
are needed TO preserve the forests. AS
vet the state has done little; the action
taken has been for the most part that
of the individual. The sooner the state
realizes it has a duty in this matter,
the better it will be for the country.
The air in forest districts is more
humid than in other places, as has
been demonstrated. More rain would
fall west of the WaSatch range II the
trees were as plentiful as they should
be. Experience has taught the coun-
tries of the old world that the places
where forests are allowed TO remain
undisturbed the vegetation is better.
This, too, in localities where little rain
falls in summer. The winter SHOWS
and fall rains are stored up in these
-timbered tracts and held as reserve
for the hot months The forests not
only exert an influence for good in
their immediate 6lcinity, but they help
the surrounding country.
Humidity may be produced at high
attitudes with forest aid. And it may
be the result where least expected.
The possibilities of increasing the
growth of forests are not limited. 1t
is not impossible for trees to be grown
on the desert of Sahara One would
naturally say that lava, which has
come down the burning mountain side.
is the least adapted for vegetation.
Still in other countries it has been
found THAI productive vineyards can
Of cactus is planted over the lava,
(which has great powers of absorption
find faculties for the disintegration of