The Elbert County tribune., 1908-08-20
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no doubt, due, in part at least, to the
increased exposure of the trees to an
ever more tickle climate. as well as to
the more persistent attacks of tree
infesting insects, which are deprived
at once of their natural enemies. For
as a consequence of the destruction of
the forests the insectivorous birds
have been greatly reduced in num-
bers.
The southern four counties in this
range have long been noted for their
splendid natural water supply. Along
every stream valley the ground-water
outcrops at frequent intervals from
strata of coarse sand and gravel over
lying the limestone Many of these
springs for a hundred years never
known to fail. have, since the removal
of the back-lying forest, become but
"wet-weather springs" absolutely dry
in late summer. Over large parts of
this area the ground-water level has
fallen several feet in the last 20 years,
SO that wells have had to- be dug or
drilled to a greater depth to insure a
time the problem of drainage is grow
open bitches, formerly well filled with
water the year around, now run almost
dry during good part of the summer,
and become choked with a rank
growth of weeds which must be re-
moved, else the stream will be com.
pletely filled with silt at the next flood
season.
AS stated before, however, there ia
but little II any interest shown by the
people in the matter of tree planting
1t is true that shade-trees are quite
commonly planted along the streets OF
towns and villages, and in public
grounds generally, but this practice
has not yet extended to the public
highway, or even, to any extent, to the
rural school-grounds. Most of the
counties report a growing interest in
Arbor day among the schools, but that
interest seems for the most part to be
only short-lived and ineffective. The
trees most commonly planted for shade
and ornament are soft maple, American
elm, and Carolina poplar. Fortunately
most of the region has gotten over the
craze for the unsightly Catalpa bigno-
nioides. Evergreens are but little
known, except for cemetery and lawn
decoration. Juniperus communis grows
native to some extent as an insignifi-
cant shrub. No doubt the more useful
oaks and walnuts would be more gen.
orally planted if the people knew how
to handle these less tolerant trees sue
cessfully.
In no region is there more urgent
] need of popular education in matters
pertaining to forestry and timber sup
| ply. For generations these people
have been learning and practicing the
art of forest destruction. Before they
! can be expected to show an active in.
terest in the preservation and renewal
Of forests, there must be created in
their minds totally new conception
of the whole problem. Very few OF
the land owners give any attention to
preserving and making the most OF
the farm wood-lot. No precautions are
taken to prolong the usefulness OF
fence posts and timber. From sheer
necessity, substitutes for wood In
house construction are being intro.
duced. Brick. stone and concrete
blocks are slowly coming into use for
this purpose. Fences, until recently
built Of rails, are now more commonly
made of wire. Yet, the shortage OF
timber and the consequent inconven.
ience are growing more apparent every
year.
A. B. PLOwMAN,
Department of Botany. Beaver College.