The suburban citizen., 1900-09-22
u,,eslNc THE TREES.
sv,,.matIe Forest Farming - Carried on
In Switzerland.

THE objects OF forestry, which are |
.,.,, GENERALLY misunderstood, are very |
sblv set forth in new book just is
sped Inv the Department Of Forestry, |
and edited by Clifford Pinchot. The
object of forestry, as stated in this
Primer of Forestry, is to discover and
snnly the principles according to
which forests are best managed. 1t
is not too much to say that no Amer
lean book has yet appeared which
more forcibly tells Of the devastation
that results from the ruthless destruc'
tion of the forests, the dire effects of
which are felt not only in the present
generation. but extend to future ones
as well. Dealing with all sections of
the country. from the familiar pine
and cedar forests of Jersey to the
giant growths of the Sierra Nevada
slopes, and with all phases of the sub
iect. from the growth of the seed, the
grain and character Of the wood to
the influence Of forests on climates
and fertility of adjacent lands, this
work Of the Department of Agricut
ture, by means of actual photographs
forms a complete history of the forest
conditions as they prevail to-day in
the United States,
Forestry eudeavors to foster the
lumber industry, not to hamper it. The
wood Of a tree that dies in the forest
is almost wholly wasted. For, accord
ING to the author while the rotting
| trunk may serve to retain moisture,
| there is little use for the carbon, oXy-
! gen and hydrogen which make up its
greater part The mineral constituents
alone form useful fertilizer, but most
often there is already an abundance
Of similar material in the soil. Not
only is the old tree lost, but ever since
| its maturity it has done little more
than intercept to no good purpose,
the light, which would otherwise have
given vitality to Il valuable crop Of
young trees. 1t is only when the ripe
wood is harvested properly and in
time that the forest attains its highest
usefulness. An example Of what may
be accomplished by properly paying
attention to the preservation of the
young growth while cutting the ma
ture crop is shown in the instance
quoted by the author of n forest in
Switzerland, where scientific methods
have been observed in the cutting OF
the wood. The forest has yielded a
yearly crop without replanting, ever
since before the discovery of Amer
lea, and yet to-day it shows fine
growth Of marketable lumber
Some very interesting facts in 70
gard to the origin of forests are
brought to light in this work Many
! agencies are employed by nature fol
the planting of seeds in good ground,
among which are the winds, birds an(
animals A remarkable demonstra
ton Of the part birds may play in thh
work is to be seen in a natural avenue
of red cedars to be found in New Jer
sey. These trees are all seedlings
p grown from seed which have beer
dropped by birds which perched OF
= the fences. OF course, the trees hav
been kept from growing in clumps
yet the work of the birds is certanl,
unique and unexpected.
OF all the foes of the forest, next {
reckless numbering, fire is the mos
destructive, and. unfortunately to
frequent Some fires burn over who'll
counties and others only a few acre.
but in the aggregate the loss by fir
to the numbering and agricultural il
terests of the country is enormous
Forestry is almost powerless to pre-
/ vent fires, except by the enforcemer
4 Of legislation making the careless fl
A ing of woodlands a criminal offens
4 1t does, however, offer many sugge
lions for the reforesting of burnet
A over areas, and for the prevention {
n fires. Many forest fires are attribute
"A to sparks from locomotives, and one {
A the latest ideas for the avoidance
n these is a fire line along a railroa
"A with two clear spaces, separated
n a double row OF trees intended
n catch the sparks. Such strips, ke
n free from inhammable material, a
u very useful in checking small fire
| and of immense value as lines or d
y Tense in fighting large Ones.-Phi'""'
| | nhio RapOr6