The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-06-18
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!: FORESTRY ]
Paper by Miss Florence N. yaes
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Paper by Miss Florence N. Jack.
The groves were Gods first temple.
and /; was among them tia, God first
spoke to man. The trees are sacred
heirlooms handed down from ancient
days. Their beginning dates back to
1.-The earliest Antiquity, but the origin
of forestry is comparatively recent
By forestry Is meant the systematic
formation and preservation OF forests
When we enter upon Its study We
are astonished at the vastness Of the
field Of activity and at the scarcity Of
workers upon Il. However. there Is
nolhlng to prevent a great work being
done In the formation and freserva
ton Of forests.
Nature has done and continues to
do her part well. She has provided
each species Of tree and shrub with
a covering for their naked and expos.
ed buds suitable to protect them
against the beating rain and other Gle.
ments common TO the cline In which
she expected them 10 live. Some she
clad In coarse barks to resist all ex.
tremes Of weather: others with more
tender and delicate skins and scaris.
Nature has also provided some with
great massive trunks: others with
long. smooth and flexible forms which
Yield 10 the wind and let II pass over.
Both are able 10 contest against the
fercest winds that PROSTATE mighty
structures. The strong ones form a
shelter and protection for the weaker
ones, that. in turn. weave their roots
among those Of their stronger neigh.
bors and assist them In keep their
equilibrium until God bids them fall.
Nature has provided also for the res.
toratlOn Of those which have finished
their work and which have been call.
ed TO the ground. In the seed which
falls 10 the earth at the proper sea.
son. whole and complete tree. though
Invisible to our dull sense is perfect.
ly and entirely wrapped up. She calls
this miniature tree out Of It's prison
at the right time and prepares It to
take It's position In the majestic com.
pany Of the forest.
Since nature does SO much. We are
prone to think there Is nothing left
for us 10 do. We have long shut our
eyes to the destruction of timber by
fire. We have refused to acknow,.
edge the fact that year oy year the
remaining areas are being consumed
by spring and autumnal CONGREGATIONS.
I've have turned our backs to the
beautiful forest clad hills fast becom.
Ing bleak and barren.
Every tree is beautiful. every grove
is pleasant, every forest Is grand.
The planting and care for trees is
exhlliratIng. but these esthetIc feat.
ures. though elevating. are incident.
al-people need wood. They have had
II In abundance and have been pro.
digal In Its use. rs We are TOO often
careless of blessings that seem TO
have no end.
The Same conditions have prevailed
In many OF the olden countries. Eng.
land was in early times covered with
trees: but they were gradually cit
down until the government took pos.
session Of the forests. The typical
forest preserving nation Is Germany
and following her comes France,
which has reclaimed much Of her
land from the sea by means OF her
forests.
| In our own country there was until
the last few years no government for.
es, policy worthy the name, In 1891
% number OF forest reservations were
made for the purpose OF preserving
mountain forests in certain localities.
Since July first. 1905, there has been
in existence a branch Of the Orgricul.
tural department at Washington call.
ed Forestry. 1t Is the. purpose of this
department to promote forest growth
throughout the Who'll country, for ev.
cry practical purpose and for the ben
eft Of humanity.
Our forests havJ been In the past
/. and may stlll be the future, one Of
!, the chief sources bf wealth. But the
future cannot shat in this wealth un.
less measures arr speedily taken to