The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-30

Inc great importance of the work of
preserving our forests is becoming more
and more manifest to the discerning
public. Time was when our forest trees
and the forests themselves for that
matter seemed as innumerabe as the
sands upon the sea shore and for many
years the woodman's axe was swung
among them right and left and forest
1lres ragged, seemingly producing no Sc
rious lessening of their number That
time has gone by and halt has been
called upon the ruthless and wanton
devastation of the wild trees. The ma
ton has had trouble in convincing the
| tree destroyers that the forest treesi
of even our vast national parks of the
far west are not free booty. The far
reaching evil results of forest devasta-
ton are nowadays becoming known and
easily demonstrate even to the most
obtuse. There is still a great deal to
be done In this work of forest preser-
| walton. The evil in question is far
from being abolished. 1t is only check
ed in spots. What the forests do for
mankind is to preserve the rain water
from running off too rapidly and going to
waste. In other words, the forests tend
belongs and where it will do the most
good. They give the rainfalls chance
to soak in If there is too much of
the great rain blessing the surplus es-
capes, but what is needed remains to
benefit creation if there are forests
around The people who have seen the
direful effects following the denudation
by forest fires of large areas are suf-
ticiently converted by this object lesson
to the ranks of those who cry out for
forest preservation. On this subject a
recent issue of the Boston Herald re-
marks:
THE American Forestry Association
believes that the work Of preserving the
forests on our public lands, which is
now at Washington divided between
three agencies, the general land office,
the United States geological survey, and
the division of forestry, should CONSOLE
date under one bureau or department
and that the recommended tons of the
head of this bureau should receive
af
association is in favor of adopting
system of leasing public grazing lands
that is, land where there is no tree
growth-using the revenue derived
therefrom for purposes of forest preser-
walton and irrigation development in
the various states and territories. 1t
is further recommended that Congress
be requested at its next session to pass
the following law, that whoever kim
dies, uses, or leaves after using, any
fire. whether made by himself or others,
that does any damage to grass, brush,
timber or other vegetation on land of
the United States beyond a circle of six
feet radius from the centre of such
fire, shall pay fine of 500, without re-
gard to the amount of care used to pre-
vent such damage" 1t Is believed that
law of this kind, which the states
might copy for their own local needs,
would go a long way toward putting a
stop to terribly destructive forest fires.
In the opinion of the best informed
there is absolutely no excuse for fires
escaping. There is everywhere plenty
of ground on which it is safe to make
a fire and where it is fit for camping
there is plenty of water to extinguish
it. 1t is nearly always pure careless
ness when fire gets beyond the con-
troll of it's builder or else is caused by
the stupid building of fires so large that
they cannot be extinguished. No one Of
experience ever does this for cooking or
for comfort; it is only to look at; and
as one expert remarked, if it is built for
that purpose it is worth $780,"
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