The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-01-26

generations it is only within the past decade that
any attempts at practical Forestry have been
undertaken in this country. on large scale. or
by National or State supervision.
We have been sitting idly by and looking on
comforting ourselves with the sort of logic that
there would be plenty of wood to supply our needs
during our lives, and that Providence would
supply from the forests of the great Northwest.
the undeveloped SOUTH or some other sources q
supply for our children Now we are being
awakened from our peaceful dreams by the evi.
dences that there will be native forests to
cut. and what is and should have been kept as a
priceless legacy for future generations. is being
destroyed in the most wanton and wasteful man.
ner that the greed Of man. with the aid of steam
and modern machinery can devise.
Millions of acres that might be growing to val
liable timber on the mountains of the Pacific slope
have been annually burned over to make better
pasture for sheep. and thus the public lands have
been robbed not only of its timber but no oppor-
tunity is given for it to recuperate.
The attention of Congress has been called to this
| matter by the President. and the Department of
Agriculture has been given special charge of this
branch of our national resources. to look up the
facts in the case and scatter such information as
|
national treatment of all land now in timber, or
that should be devoted to its growth in future, it
the health, wealth and happiness of the future are
to be provided for.
Some State governments have now establish
ed Departments of Forestry and have the report
of DIR. Rothrock of Penna. who was the first com.
missioner under their law, and to a large extent
the father of it. that gives in very clear and
| rkrl 81 ubofb aoJ
as we'll as an interesting study of many of the
problems connected with it.
In our own state there has been some valuable
information collected by the President of our Geo
logical Survey embodied IN maps of few coun-
ties, that show the present areas that are NOM
inally in forest. and he is fully alive to the
essity of some more systematic effort to preserve
and to improve what is left of this necessary adj
junct to our agricultural wealth. The magnitude
Of the interests involved are sucn as to demand a
special department to attend to them as they are
not included in his special work.
Our state agricultural college, cannot as at pres
ent constituted, establish new chair of Forestry
or undertake any new work with their very in
adequate resources, as have it from the pen of
President Sylvester of that institution 1t is sep
arate and distinct interest not connected especially
with college work or training and both these
gentlemen and many others that have been con-
suited agreed that our legislature should take
up this subject and give such law rs will
| place us in line with other states and enable US
to cooperate with the Department OF Forestry at
Washington in this work.
| Our State holdings of natural woodland at
present may be but a small part of the acreage
that should continue to grow timber, but they
will web pay for the care they deserve.
The greatest direct benefit will come, by the aid
that the State alone can render, to promote and
| encourage the proper treatment of the farmers
wood-lot, and of the large tracts now held in
private ownership, that are fast being depleted of
everything of value. with no adequate provision
! for the future The idea is so common that a
crop of timber requires growth of centuries
that there is no nducement held out to owners to
expect any return tor their investment after the
present crop is cut, and those who do not care to
work for posterity allow their clearings to be
browsed by cattle, burned over, or in many other
ways made Improbable for future owner.
We have heard or read the sentiment that is
attributed to Washington about the man that
makes two blades OF grass grow where only one
grew formerly, and can we not invoke like
blessing upon the head of every individual who
will grow two valuable trees where only one is
now standing, or better upon the efforts of the
intelligent owner who promotes the growth of
two valuable ones where there are now none, or
only worthless cumberers of the ground. How it
is best to do this is too large subject for this
present paper. but the benefit to the whole State
and to every inhabitant, present or prospective,
| is so obvious as to need no demonstration.
1t is within the province of the law to promote
this end by offering rebate on taxes on land
| now cleared or that may be cleared or specially
devoted to producing crop of young timber,
during the time that it will be required to give it
safe start out of the reach OF cattle, by fencing
| or otherwise.
1t is also plain duty to have some efficient
remedies for checking forest fires. Id the pres.
ence of general confagration, the nd.awners
are helpless and there is no officer whose duty it
is to marshal fire-fghting brigade. Or provision
| for paying such as lend hand to protect the
public property. A proposal that looks reason.
able, is to make every constable in the State a
fire marshal, allow him liberal salary for ali
time spent in this work, and pay for all whom he
| may summon to assist him.
With forest fires as with all others the remedy
should be near at hand, and promptly applied to
be effectual but the average citizen now looks
with Indifference upon a blaze when only the
woods are being devoured and no element of
personal loss is involved, and the Heritage of our
children may be going up il smoke.
We may remark in conclusion that the meie
| sentimental idea iuyolved4in the onoht;on.