The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-19
A TALK ABOUT TREES.
No. 2.

insects are built in the hearts of forest trees. They are social little creatures and congregate in lovely and lofty places where the summer sun and soft rains contribute to their growth and aspirations for higher life Men are not the only creatures who seek to build villages and cities through love of social companionship The forest seems to be the chosen refuge of earth's small and weak creatures as we'll as of the beasts of savage nature.
 The flies, skirting the swamps, filling all places, occupying every little aper- ture, cluster together in the still and solemn forest shades. They revel in the safety which nature provides. The All-seeing eye penetrates with keen glances earth's darkest chambers, and bends a parental tender gaze upon the forest dwellers, who are born and de- veloped in the deepest seclusion and live closely yelled from all but the loving eye of nature and Him who fashioned the forests for their sanctifed dwelling places. The ages in their rapid flight have made many changes in the an- cient forests, and the vast cities built with timber furnished by the trees and other natural productions which have passed from the earth. Yet those an- cient forests still exist Nature has a law of reproduction which applies to the trees as affectually as to the animal and human life. A fast as one tree dies another springs up in Its place and starts upon a long journey toward the highest development battling with the storms and winds of changing seasons. The great influence of the forests can be ascertained by the records of ages. In lands where the woods are abun- dant the soil is productive and the grass and grain never fail through lack of plant food or moisture There is plenty of rain and dew where the forest trees attract the atmospheric ele- ments. The oxygen, nitrogen, ammo nia and solar rays, which form chemi- cal action with the earth Gin it's produc- tion of which the forest trees afe the earths crown jewels) become more and more valuable as time imparts the beautiful polish of age. Ancient trees are becoming few, and even the ancient forests of the old world seem to become thinned through the carelessness of men. India, Africa and some of the German forests, also those near the central portions of the earth, still re- tain their beauty. There are forests In Egypt along the Nile and near its source that are beautiful. Persian for ests and those of France, Sweden and some parts Of Italy are fine and beauti- ful in growth and luxuriant foliage Forests of exquisite beauty are seen in many parts of Central America, also in the northwest and British Columbia. Scenes of exquisite beauty and thrilling interest may be found along the Cana dian Pacific railroad and also along the Union Pacific The Northern Pacific runs through many ancient forests, with scenery as lovely and rich in na- tive elements and production as may be found in any of the western states. Texas and many parts of Mexico are beautiful in their wild and picturesque forest scenery. In many forests the earth can claim, and proudly too, the glory and perfection of it's Eden beau- ty The ancient days of Paradise, when Adam stood lost in admiration while gazing upon the trees of the gar den, have been described in historical story. Poets have sung of the beauty and peace of the first dawn, when all things were new. Heavenly beauty reigned everywhere, and all the quiver- ing leaves on the forest branches sang an anthem of praise in honor of the God who created land and sea.
 Even at that remote period the for ests played their appropriate parts in the universal harmony when the earth offered praise beneath the over-arching skies
 The forests are everywhere spoken of by the ancient writers when they be- come inspired.
 By forests we do not speak of general or ordinary groups of trees. We mean all kinds of foliage, all kinds of trees. The ash, hazle, birch, poplar and chest nut were common in ancient forests, The pine, mulberry and cedar were there. The olive and pomegranate were among the trees of the common kind The trees of the ancient forests were finer and more perfect in shape than those of modern times The pop lar was noted for it's beautiful and se- rene simplicity. Its leaves are never still The wilder groups of trees on the hills are not so heavily covered with fo- liage as those growing in low places, and this was the same in ancient for, ests as in those of modern times. The tree was Shakespeare's favorite; he used to praise the pines of his favorite county, Warwickshire, and in his wri- tings speaks of mountain pines and the 'wierd shaken pines and cedars''
 The olive trees were favorites with Christ and his apostles. Some of the early writers mention the fig tree as be- ing a sacred tree, because 1t had shell tered the head of the Man of Sor- rows" The beauty of the olive tree is noted for its trunk and branches It has been often described by pilgrims in Judea- Its delicate beauty and foliage are faint in color. It Is unlike the ol- i've, which is of ashen hue and not bril- liant. it's gnarled and intricate branch es the fret-work of it's narrow pointed leaves, it's blossoms small and star shaped in spring. before the fruit sets, and most beautiful in the autumnal season, when the branches are laden with dark, almost sable colored fruit. The painters of all ages have tried to illustrate the foliage and beauty of the different forests or the forests of differ ent nations. and ucceeded in many cases. The fruits were the delight of artists and some of them succeeded in giving the grasses and vines their nat