Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-28
PlsoAH's pRImevAL PINES.
Tall and Massive Trees Over . Thou
sand Years Old.

A party of tourists from Amherst
and vicinity arrived In Hinsdale. N.
H.. Wednesday afternoon and with
Percy Felch as guide proceeded TO
the heart of the Pisgah mountains
where the object Of their journey will
be reached, the primeval white pines
of Mt. Pisgah. These primeval pines
are situated to the north Of Round
pond and are reached only after a
rough and hazardous journey. This
tract OF land covers several hundred
acres and scientists who have visited
the place have ascertained that many
of the pines have reached the aston
ishing age OF over thousand years.
Many of them easily reach to the
height Of l50 feet and their massive
trunks. straight as an arrow. are
limbless for distance Of from 80 TO
10 feet from the ground, This Is one
of the few places In the United
States where primeval white pines
can be found and movement has
been made of late to have the state
purchase this trace OF land as a res
ervation, but as yet no definite steps
have been taken, though the Will OF
the late Mrs. Thayer Of Keene left a
sum Of money to be used toward this
purpose. An interesting circumstance
connected with the primeval forest is
a lone pile of billets, such as used to
be used To make slaves of. and were
often shipped on the boats from va
rious points in this vicinity when
boats piled the Connecticut river as
far as Bellows Falls. No other pile
of billets is found in this forest and
they stand just as they We're piled
wears ago, while the indelible stamp
of old age is plainly visible upon
them. How this lone pile of billets
came to be there is a mystery but the
theory Is advanced that here In the
very heart of the primeval forest
stood q lone oak tree-the only wood
used for billets--which the prospector
discovered In his wanderings and
working It up into billets piled them
as they are seen to-day. Why the
person never collected these billets Is
and probably will always remain a
mystery This, however, only adds
interest to the place.
AS one enters this forest he is
awed by the massiveness of these
primeval giants and the mere thought
of their ancientness naturally diverts
his attention back to other ages with
a yearning for some enlightenment
as 10 the past history of these pines.
But no one can enlighten him.
Throughout this noble forest are
numerous springs of pure water
clear as a crystal and cold as ice. and
some of them are rich in minerals
contributed by mother earth. :.
Every effort possible is being made
to have this tract Of land purchased
and used as a reservation with
school Of forestry and scientific re-
search founded there and as the
owners are willing to sell, satisfac-
tory arrangements can be made lot
the purchase. but what Is done must
be done quickly.
Thus far man has refrained from
intruding upon the domains OF these
stately giants but each year the
woodsman's axe is cutting deeper into
the forests and unless steps are soon
taken to purchase the reserve these
primeval white pines will soon oe
hewn to earth and primeval white
pines will be so many the fewer IN
the United States. Surely II the state
or government does not care to make
the purchase, here is chance Tor
liberal minded philanthropists to con-
tribute to the aid of science.