The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-11-20

and the philosophy underlying the | foundations of creative force. When commenced the study of forest trees did not dream of the practical knowl- | edge it required, and only thought to l introduce my own particular system of agriculture into fruit and vine raising, l did not dream of the powerful inter ests that were to be called into action, as that knowledge gained through the trees would open sacred intuitive communion between my mind and the natural productions of the soil, Yet 1t proved so, and from studying natural law learned to read the handwriting of God upon all the leaves, flowers and plants, and became passionately fond of the silent language from which poets and painters gain their sublime inspi- ration, and from all the hidden avenues in the forests traced the footprints of the Deity and have sought through na- ture to find the Great White Throne and One sitting thereon who holds in His hands reins of power that control the vast universe and all that under lies the earth and sea. The trees are tablets, upon which are written the laws of nature more perfectly than any other variety of earths productions, and studying the forests of our country 1 gave me desire to learn something of the forestry of other parts of the globe, and commencing with South America and the isles of the ocean, I became more and more interested with the for est trees and their historical conditions extending back through many ages; from the historical writings of celebra- ted travellers I learned much, and I re- solved to make pilgrimage to South America and the different countries, | including the northwest and British Columbia. After that, if health and opportunity permitted, I resolved to I study the forests of Africa, Asia, Per- sia and Asia Minor.
 One lifetime is hardly enough to al- | low a man to complete the circuit of l the globe and study the agricultural 1 conditions of each country. Ambition inspires, but common sense and practi- l cal effects control the destinies of most men; so I found myself making short i journeys at first, analysing the soil, studying the productions of the noun | tains and forests, comparing their con- ditions in modern times with the his 1 torical records of ancient days. The American forests pleased me best. South America and all her forests, as well as Central America, came under my observation.
 The largest forests in the world may
 be found in South America, a land surcharged with vapor, accumulated in the passage of trade winds blowing l from the eastern coast. These vapors i touch those shores at periodical inter-
 vals, and are condensed into rain, which is heavily freighted with ammo
 niated matter rich in fertilizing forces for all classes of vegetation
 Those trade winds sweep over the eastern coast of South America and proceed from the east, crossing the Att lantic ocean and reaching South Ameri- ca at given seasons. The progress of
 those winds westward is checked in a measure by the immense chain of gil gantie elevations known as the Andes, and those winds cannot or do not pass those mountains, but are thrown back in condensed form of cloud-like vapors, which fall heavily upon the shores of Brazil and other portions of that re- zion, which becomes annually deluged with torrents of rain-water, often de-