The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-17
NURSING THE TREES.
Systematic Forest Farming as Car
ried on In switzerland.

From the Philadelphia Record.
The objects of forestry, which are very
generally misunderstood. are very ably ct
forth in a new book just issued by the de-
partment of forestry, ana editd by Clifford
Pinchot. The object Of forestry, as stated
in this Primer Of Forestry" is TO discoy-
er and apply the principles according to
which forests are best managed. II is not
TOO much to say that no American book
has yet appeared wnich more forcibly tells
of the devastation that results from the
ruthless destruction of the forests. the dire
effects Of which are felt not only in the
present generation, but extend 10 future
ones as well. Dealing with all sections of
the country, from the familiar pine and ce-
dar forests of Jersey 10 the giant growths
of the Sierra Nevada slopes. and with all
phases of the subject. from the growth Of
the seed the grain and character of the
wood TO the influence of forests on eli
mates and fertility Of adjacent lands, this
work of the department of agriculture by
means of actual photographs, forms a COM
pcte history of the forest conditions as
they prevail to-day in the United States.
Forestry endeavors TO foster the lumber
ing industry. not to hamper it, The wool
of tree that dies i'm the forest is always
wholly wasted. For according 10 the au-
thor, while the rotting trunk may serve
to retain moisture. there is little use fol
the carbon. oxygen and hydrogen which
make up it's greater part. The mineral
constituents alone form a useful fertilizer.
but most otter there is already an abund-
ance of similar material in the soil. Not
only is the old tree lost but ever since IT'S
maturity it has done little more than in
tercept, to no good purpose the light
which would otherwise have given vitality
TO a valuable crop of young trees lt 10
only when the ripe wood is harvested prop
erly and in time that the forest attaius its
highest usefulness.
An example OF what may be accomplish
ed by properly paying attention 20 the
preservation of the young growth while
cutting the mature crop is shown in the
| instance quoted by the author of forest
in Switzerland where scientific methods
have been observed In the cutting of the
wood This forest has yielded yearly
crop, without replanting, ever since before
the discovery of America, and yet to-day
ii shows a fine growth of marketable lum-
ber
Some very interesting facts in regard TO
the origin OF forests are brought to light
in this work. Many agencies are employ
| ed by nature for the planting of seeds in
good ground" among which are the
winds. birds and animals. remarkable
| demons tration of the part birds may play
| i'm this work is 10 be seen in a natural
| Jersey. These trees are all seedlings
| grown from seeds which have been drop
| ped by birds which perched on the fences
i OF course, the trees have been kept from
| growing in clumps, yet the work of the
| birds is certainly unique and unexpected
OF all the foes of the forest, next to
reckless numbering, fire is the most de-
| structiVe, and, unfortunately, too fire.
quent Some fires burn over whole coun-
| ties and others only few acres but in
| che aggregate the loss by fire TO the lum-
| berlng and agricultural interests of the
| country is enormous, Forestry Is almost
| poweTless TO prevent fires. except by the
| enforcement of legislation making the care
| less firing of woodlands a criminal Of
Tense. 1t does, however, offer many sug-
| gestions for the reforesting of burned
over areas and for the prevention of
fires Many forest fires are attributed to
| sparks from locomotives, and one of the
latest ideas for the avoidance OF these is
| a fire line along a railroad, with two
cleared spaces, separated by double row
| of trees intended to catch the sparks. Such
! strips, kept free from all infammable ma
| terial are very useful in checking small
| fires, and of immense value as lines of
defense in fighting large ones.