Evening star., 1907-11-17

dsluge lasting forty-three days has beaten
the record and carried with 1t widespread
desolation and ruin.
The public mind in Europe and America
is much in the same state OF culoable is-
norance as to the cause Of inundations-
the lack of trees-as when Colbert uttered
his warning.
The deforestation Of mountains, it is
quite well understood. at present is the
cause Of the terrible foundations which
for the first time are attracting the at
tention of governments, with the view OF
controlling the evil by means of jul
d.cious and methodical system of affor-
estation. The evil Is not local. but gen.
eral. and aff1icts all mountainous coun-
tries. Forests are Indispensable to all
agricultural countries. because they con-
stitute the very best regula tors of the
rains. In wooded countries. too. droughts
are less harmful and less frequent and
storms likewise less disastrous. Besides.
the navigation of rivers becomes impossf-
Bile II they are permitted to be the receipt
acle OF torrents from unweoded noun
Withholding their vas; stores of rain and
snow. This condition can only be reme-
died by afforestation and by planting the
mountain sides with grass and trees.
The government Of the French republic.
with this object in view. voted appropria-
tions in 1880, 1864 and 1892,
Frenen but the program was not
R1orts executed with vigor and the
results we're small. The
state. however. insisted upon a check to
the denudation of the forests, and voted
to this end the sum of 10000. 900 francs.
In 1904 the areas restored comprised 345,-
40 hectares. Of which 1864 belonged
to the commune. or to private individuals,
and 81 600 1000 francs only of the appro
priatien had been expended. Thus, in
twenty-five years less than one-haf OF
the sum appropriated to guard against the
scourge had been expended. The state
had failed in it's mission, for in order to
govern 1t is necessary to foresee.
M. Descombes. who has taken up the
subject with energy: submitted a report
Der. 1907. THE effort of the state he
says, "has remained sterile, and 1t may
be attributed to the unfortunate prejudice
which maintains that afforestation Is hurt
full to the interests of the mountaineer.
Many persons have thus withdrawn from
the agitation of question in which it was
charged there were conflicting interests.
and. at a moment when no amelioration
may be realized without the pressure of
public opinion. obstruction has been most
regrettalble. Calamitous Scourges. like
inundations affecting wide region, ag1tat"
and impress the public during several
days; hearts are quickened and a subscrip-
ton is made to repair the evil caused by
reigns and the trouble Is soon forgotten.
Tha cause of the inundation has not been
considered. although the effect may have
been diminished.
The United States, it may be useful to
note has established special service of
forestry, composed Of s2l employees. The
exploitation OF forestry of the United
States. which represents value Of l.25O =
900. 600 francs, counts only 33 per cent
The earnings amount to 10 per cent per
annuu.
On a property In the Pyrenees for which
20 900 francs were paid in $780, 10. 900 francs
were expended in seed
Profitable and planting After forty
r.u..4,,.n4 five years there is now a
magnificent domain, rep
resenting 27OOOO francs Of wood alone; and
this case is cited to show what the state and
prudential societies may accomplish with
the millions Of hectares which remain un
touched in the mountainous departments
Thus the central association for the par
ceiling out Of mountains established al
Bordeaux rented 1900 hectares of COM
munial lands which 1t planted in trees in
1904, a salutary example which may be-
cited as direct lesson. Due to the dis
position Of the noun tains on the eastern
ceased and fortune has smiled to such a
point upon the Inhabitants that action
has been taken to check immigration.
Mr.. James H. Young has contributed an
article entitled "Will There Be a Timber
Famine?' in the Worlds Work for No
vopohar The aufhor SavS
1.-The alarming rate at which the worlds S
supply of timber is being depleted is caus-
ing the gravest anxiety to those who are
interested in afforestation, and many au-
unless the state undertakes some scheme
Of sylviculture the very existence of the
many Industries dependent upon wood
supply is bound to be seriously imperiled
in the future"
In the United Kingdom there is no sylu-
culture-that Is. no growth Of timber
forming profitable material
Great for the market. Great Brit
ps+,;, ain is dependent for its TIM
ber supply upon the United
States, Canada and Russia and she paid
to these during the last year the sum of
eos 100000 But the resources Of these
countries are rapidly contracting. The
fact is being recognized and attention is
being directed to the Highlands of Scot
land, where there are immense areas of
land adapted to sylviculture. Recently
large meeting was held in Inverness for
the formation of a branch of the Royal
Scottish Arboricultural Society. and at
Bangor and Newcastle lecturers in forest
ry have been appointed by the govern
ment. In the forest Of Dean an oppor-
tunity Is being given to working wood
men and others interested in timber grow
ing to acquire thorough and practical
knowledge of sylviculture school hav-
Ing been opened for that purpose.
Mr. Young concludes: THE state must
however. do more than this Such con-
cessions should be made as re-
mission of rates and taxes on wood
munerative an abolishment of rates on
transport, and, where necessary, state
loans to impecunious landlords and pri-
vate individuals who are not in posi-
tion to pay out from 95 to E10 per acre
in planting forests without any certainty
of ever receiving even part of the reward
for their labors Until this is granted by
the government, sylviculturSts and others
interested in the timber supply Of the
country will not feel satisfied that any
thing tangible Is being done to ward off
that dread calamity-a timber famine"
The deforestation Of mountains in the
United States has wrought havoc not only
The PEERLESS ONE.