, 1902-06-18
REFOREST THE HILLS
OeSERVANT CITIZEN SPEAKS OF
THE CONDITIONS OBTAIN.
ING HEREABoUTs.
Urges a Rewoodine Of the Steep Slopes
or the Eastern Hills, JeIm and
Sheep Mountain, and Tells Of Con.
ditions Seen On a Volcanic Island
In the Hawaiian Group.
Laramie. Wyo., June 16, 1902.

Laramie, WyO., June 16, 1902.
To the Editor Of The Republican.
Your editorial in regard to the for
estry reserve in the Medicine Bow
range Is supporting a Measure which
al but be beneficial to all the valleys
through which the steadier flow Of the
conserved moisture passes. There are
others of less elevation and extent
which should have careful attention
looking to reforesting large areas in
nearly every direction.
Doubtless many of your readers re-
member when the hills forming the
eastern horizon for the Laramie plains
supported a considerable forest. Tie
cutting and fuel for the early wood
burning engines, with the draft for fire
wood supplies have denuded the hills
and there is nov only a scattered scrub.
by growth left. A rewooding of this
steep slopes and ravines would mean
much for the eastern side Of the Lara
mic plains. as would the establishment
of young forests carefully kept on Jelm
and Sheep mountains and other ele-
vations on the western side Of the
plains.
The latter would feed teh flow of
streams while the former would tend
to increase the number of springs and
help the flow Of the artesian wells on
the plains. We could lot expect this
reforesting to increase the precipita:
tion but it would hold the snow and
rain for percolation instead of It's con-
tinuing to go of as now, In all the fu.
ture. mostly on the wings of the dry
winds.
Our Forestry association has started
none too o 1t should push forward
the need Of Increasing and thickening
the forests. Teach how cutting al be
made for the good Of the forest and
for the firewood obtained; while talk
ing the wood which is crowded down
or crooked and gnarled or broken gives
the better trees more room but no op-
enings Or clearings should be made.
This city might well afford to seri-
ously consider reforesting a consider
able IRE from northeast to southeast
and encourage and help the wner of
the land to reforest and make such cut
tings as would return an income for
the work and expense. This would in
time be felt if the work we're extensive
enough in the stronger artesian flow
and more wells would no doubt afford
an abundant water supply where 1t is
even now insufficient for city use. An
effort along this line will be helpful
when this city's present population
shall have doubted itself.
Other Wyoming towns should look
out seriously to have all the hills sur
rounding the source of their water sup
plies covered as much as possible with
trees and such other vegetation as eau
be made to grow on the hillsides and
tops.
The writer has had an opportunity
to study a small water shed which furn-
ishes most of the water for a much
larger city than ours. 1t is Honolulu,
Oahu. n Of the Hawaiian group in
the Pacific ocean. The land is all of
volcanic origin and quite thirsty. The
city lies down near the shore line
where rain of any amount seldom falls, I
though slight showers frequently oc.
u The moisture Immediately evap-
crates and no one but a visitor thinks
of carrying an umbrella. But on the
mountains which rise 1000 to 5000
feet above the g there are frequent
daily rains. These are tropical show
ers. The water IL pure and good but 1t
would run of from the nearly bare
rocks and be lost in the sea or by evap-
but for the care taken to save
Il.
A narrow valley has been planted TO-
small trees, shrubs. vines and other
plants which will thrive. selection