Smyrna times., 1895-03-27
THE EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION.
Continued from First page.

upon this material.
While the ak of the woodman rang |
in the forests of the North and the
woodlands of the Empire States
of the South were untouched
in their virginity, frost and snow
and cruel biting winds were never
known in the sunny South. Even
that mysterious river of the ocean, the
Gulf Stream, feeling the effects of radi-
cal climatic changes, leaves with its
heat giving waters for course farther
off shore, thus adding another peril not
easily remedied. Then vastness
of these States such as Georgia and
Texas is almost hey Ond comprehension.
Stick pin in the Northeast corner
of Texas and using the southwest end
for radius it will in swinging around
overlap every State on the Atlantic
seabOard clear into Maine, or it will
reach half way across the Atlantic.
Georgia is an immense territory both
in length and breadth, so it follows
that when swaths hundreds of miles
in extent are cut across States such as
these, disaster must follow sure as
when the white oaks of Delaware dis
appear from her insular lines climatic
change took place that has well nigh
made the growing of her world-famous
peaches hopeless.
Once in while the cry goes up
about the wanton destruction of forests,
and once in a while State legislatures
and the general government make
feeble attempts to stay it and there the
matters ends.
In Europe foresty is a science fostered
by the government SO carefully that
timber can only be taken from marked
section, and no other, resulting ia
positive good since under intelligent
direction the ignorant choice Of the
timber specuator is always held in
check and irregular swaths are pre-
vented from being cut across any sec.
ton of country. In a group of four
trees one is taken and three left and
| the one that is taken must have the
official mark of the inspector. This
apparently severe system preserves the
forests of Europe such as no other
means could, and while preserving the
wood autonomy of the country gives
ample material for the needs of trade
What more is neededP Here. like in
everything else, cOllosal fortunes are
sought to be made in controlling the
timber market out of all reason ahead
of the actual demand. Ship.loads and
railroads are taxed their utmost to de-
liver to some point timber that will be
held for a rise in the selling price, nc
reference whatever being made for the
demand which should in every cast
regulate the supply. If then this is
not bringing about a disturbed equili
brium, what is? A violation of a heaItl
law plCsuPpOSCS pChaitJI anu az
not the wood lands the lungs of tn,
State?
Chemistry tells US that in tree lif
their Office is to inhale carbonic ga
aud exhale oxygen, thus preserving
climatic status that to radically distur
r is to produce radical climatic chang
and there the matter ends, unless W
, will say loss occurs far exceeding i
D value the timber cut and the structure
erected with it, In spite of the spleu
did achievement of mechanical progres
the foremost strides are yet to be TAX
by the agriculturists Of the Unite
D States for real, permanent advancement
e in national wealth and to them shOul
be entrusted the perpetuation of th
precious forest lands and not to tn
rapacity of mercenary spectators.
J.. JAMES B. SCOTT.
K Wilmington, DEL, March, 1885,