The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-24
AN OBJECT LESSON.

i4ft.att AN OR2N<AfA 4k<SrONs
 So much is being said and written these days about the wrong of forest des. truction and the necessity Of refores- tation that we are sure the following from the Boston Glose will be read with interest:
 what was formerly the most barren and miasmatic section of the country in France. the department of the Landes. today is covered by immense forests. while the sand dunes and marshes long since have disappeared and the wood. charcoal, turpentine, rosin and kindred industries have brought wonderful prosperity. The climate, moreover, is mild and balmy the effect of the presence of the for ests. The manufacture of rosin and similar products is conducted about the same as in Georgia and the Caro- linas in the United States.
 Once this whole section, now one of the richest and most productive In France, consisted of millions of acres that were little more than shifting sand dunes and disease-breedipg marshes. The intelligent cultivation of pine forests alone is responsible for the change. The advocates or for estry in America are urging the people merely to hold the treasures which they possess. but in older countries the veritable sand heaps are turned Into forests for necessary use.
 | We are not sufficiently familiar with the history of the region referred to in the above to say how long this con- struction or reconstruction process has been going on. or how long before it's good effects were felt. but that is not so material as is the final result and that has plainly been important significant and suggestive. It is just possible. of course, that something in the soil. climate or other conditions had something to do with the success attained, but we think it Is not pro- bablesthat anything of the kind could account for all that is set forth by The Globe.
 It will be noted that these highly gratifying results have followed the operation in the Landes. One is that the unsightly and wholly unproductive sand dunes are now covered by dense pine forests, from which the people are getting constant employment and | profit. This is one of the material and industrial benefits resulting from the tree planting. Another important malaria by drying up the disease i breeding marshes and thus rendering tho region salubrious and healthful. Still another important object gained is that the climate has become much more | equable and temperate.
 These three objects are all impor- tant. Either would amply repay the trouble and expense incur:fd in bring ing about such desirable result. but culable. and the lesson taught thereb, is one that should have it's bearing and effect in the United States There are immense regions in our own coun- | try where the results obtained in | France might be repeated. It is moi | necessary that pine should be the only ! trees planted, ana Tn Iact oLner timDer
 might be more profitable and yield
 quicker returns, but that is not sC
 important as is the necessity as wei
 as the desirability of producing a
 forest and retaining the desert. Ina
 is the most important object to b
 kept in view.
 j To bring about the desired resul
 will take time of course, but tha
 is not a serious objection. No gfea
 object can be attained without cor
 responding expenditure of both tim
 and money. but that should be no ba
 to either effort or success. The laps
 of one of two scores of years Is noth
 ing when compared with the good re
 suits that are noticeable in the Lande
 region, and that would in all likeli
 hood follow similar effort in our owl
 country. In short, what has beei
 accomplished over there is in the na
 ture of both an encouragement ant
 an object lesson.
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