The evening times., 1899-12-25

and with wood for other uses about the
farm. Just as the wood lot does more abun-
dainty for the farmer Of the wooded re-
gions but IL MAJ contribute. through the
sale Of any of these items. ready cash to
NO inconsiderable amount.
Material Progress.
THE vast material progress.
which. since 1865. has distin-
all the nations of the world, would never
have been achieved without the great re-
sources in timber which We have been able
to command. In spite CT the enormous de-
yeiopment OF the use of metals in this
country, our material civilization is still
distinctly founded on the use of wood. IL
we had no. had an abundance OF wood from
the beginning of our life as nation until
the present day, the United States would
not now be first in the family of nations In
wealth and in producing power.
Whether or not it is true that republics
are ungrateful to their great men. il GER
tainly is fact that their citizens are care
less Of the resources to which their pros
perity is due.
That great wealth finally tends to pred
igality is an axiom in human nature, whose
illustration can nowhere be found better
sources Of the United States by its citizens.
1T is not without inerest to note that
the first settlers in New England. with the
vast stretches of unexpIored wilderness be-
fore them. and a body OF standing timber
to draw upon whose amount they could
not even reckon. took immediate steps to
prohibit the waste of wood and the de-
struction Of forests. 1t was only later.
when a knowledge Of the vastness OF their
timber resources led to recklessness, that
the indiscriminate destruction Of forests
began Still later came the second effort
toward forest protection. in which we are
still engaged.
Protection. chiefly against winds. floods.
and drought. and the continuous produc-
ton of wood, are the prime objects of for
estry To review in detail what forestry
means to the United States would he to dis
cuns the value to the nation OF practically
ell It's industries. for practically all OF them
use wood, and the comfort and prosperity
of practically all its people. for we all use
wood in ways We could very i'll afford to
spare. In addition the lumber. tanning.
and wood working Industries. with their
enormous annual output. would have to be
specially considered.
The Question Vital.
Forestry means the preservation and
perpetuation Of all these, just as continued
forest destruction means their injury or
their complete decay.
'.The interest Of the farmer In forestry
is vital enc. and by no means confined to
the effect of great forest masses on the
climate or on the distribution OF the rain
fall. Such bodies of forest usually lie
apart from the chief farming regions, and
their influence. however great ir may be,
and however generally 1t may be acknowl-
edged. is far less tangible and convincing
to the farmer than the things he can see
and handle on his own account.
In the third place. the farmer is con-
cerned in forestry because he is pur-
chaser of timber. The price of his agri-
cultural machinery and nearly all his tools
is affected by the progressive destruction
of our forests. His house and barn. in the
vast majority Of cases. are built of pur-
chased timber and roofed with shingles
which have cost him money.
I'm addition to the general interest OF
the farmer in forestry. and even more vital
to his welfare is the condition Of the plan
tations or the wood-lot on his farm. For
estry is a subject not to be mastered in a
lay. and yet the wood-lot and the planta-
tion should have all the assistance that
common sense and training together can
give. Such assistance the Department Of
Agriculture offers to the farmer for the
asking"