The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-04-09

&38 E5NeY That placed 1t near his cot
~ EM Then, woodman, let it stand
~ ny Thy ak shall harm 1t not
1t is only within a few years compar'
atively that there has been any adequate
sense of the great questions involved in
the rapid decreasing which has been in
unchecked operation in the United
States. Even now it is mostly among
scientific men that the facts have any
vivid hold on the mind, but there is be-
ginning to be widespread awakening.
People in general have hitherto not only
looked ON the forests as lawful plumber,
but have attacked these supreme gifts
Of nature as pirates used to fly the black
flag ON the ocean, with the most reck-
less and ruthless spirit of destruction.
This waste, too, has gone on for a CEN
fury in spite Of the fact that notes OF
warning have been constantly sounded.
Even as far back as the year 1900 wise
men in New England had much to say
on the danger of the lavish tree cutting
in the northern Atlantic states.
But men are now forced to consider
the questions at issue very seriously, be-
cause they will not permit themselves
to be ignored any longer. 1t is the al
tentative of the tabled sphinx, "Solve
me this matter rightly or I'll destroy
you"
The main interest Of the emergency
is not that Of the commercial supply of
lumber, fuel and paper pulp. This as
pect is important, but its conditions adj
NIT of easy notifications, which can be
made to solve themselves. The reoupera-
tion of nature from the human drain on
her resources is magnifcently illustrated
in the fertility of tree life. The forests
will amply supply all our needs for
countless generations if man will bring
to the economy of production q tithe of
the care and skill which he applies to
his orchards and grainfelds. The active
elements of the forest problem go still
deeper to the roots Of things and touch
all the primary interests Of man. Let
US, then, glance at these radical facts,
which sink the discussion of the fuel,
lumber and paper markets into insig-
nificance. Putting aside the utility of
forests as the source of raw material
for fuel and manufacture, we find the
value Of woodland fourfold-it creates
climatic conditions; it regulates the
water supply in springs, brooks and
rivers; it is q necessary CONSERVATION of
good soil conditions, and it is Of vital
Importance in sanitation through it's
effects in purifying the air.
The modes of forest influence are east
ly understood, if we trace them step by
step. The climate of any region is the
result Of the temperature and moisture
Of the air interacting on each other.
The temperature is derived, in the
main, by radiation from the heated
earth. The barrier of dense forest, of
course, lowers the temperature Of the
soil and Of the air above it, and this
again lessons evaporation from the sur
face of the soil. So cooler and moister
air is found within and above the forest,
and this tends to condense passing
clouds, which the hot air of open spaces
would check. In this way, too, the
woods act like large sheet of water as
an origin Of local winds. On the other
hand, again, they constitute mechan-
ical barrier against chilling north and
hot southern blasts. The prairie farmer
well knows what windbreak Of a few
rows Of trees will do in adding to the
comfort Of his homestead and protecting
his young orchards.
But the paramount Office of the forest
is to preserve soil humidity and to store
up and feed out equally the earth's wa
ter capital. The moss and leaf mold
make vast sponge, taking water from
the air and the clouds, and from this
reservoir paying regular dividends, in
springs, brooks and rivulets, giving up
it's resources, too, gradually as they are
most needed. The earth is always most
thirsty and arid where there are the
fewest trees. Again, where the headwa-
tiers Of streams and rivers are denuded
of forest, not only is the average level
Of flowing water lowered, but the coun-
try is necessarily made subject to occa-
sional tremendous floods. BY this agency
mans handiwork is extensively destroy
ed, and, worst Of all, the soil is washed
away from the slopes and rich valleys
pauperized for years. 1t is demonstra-
Bile fact that the afforestation Of i'm
mense tracts in France, Germany and
the Tyrol has been of incalculable adj
vantage in lessening such cataclysms of
nature and otherwise blessing the labors
of the earth tiller. 1t is not too much to
say that the efficient control of the
earth's resources-that Is to say, civil
cation itself-depends more largely on
a proper proportion Of forest to tillable
soil than on any other single factor.
AS to the sanitary effects OF great for
est tracts science is constantly eliciting
new proofs, which como home to the
most skeptical. The activity OF every
tree in consuming carbonic acid and
breathing out oxygen has long been
known. The balm of elevated forest at
especially in regions OF pine
and spruce, has made such districts
sanitariums for pulmonary suf-
ferers. So, too, a vast extent of swamp
has been cleared Of malaria by the gen.
erous planting Of trees, the webwork OF
n n - II