Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-08

bands OF sheep. the unchecked wandering
ton to forests and disaster to the small
home makers, the settlers of limited
means.
Shortsighted persons or persons blinded
to the future by desire to make money
in every way out of the present. some
times speak as II no great damage would
be done by the reckless destruction OF
our forests. 1t is difficult to have pa
thence with the arguments or these per-
sons. Thanks to our own reckiessness IN
the use OF our splendid forests. we have
already crossed the verge Of q timber
famine in this country. and no measures
that We now take can. at least Tor many
years. undo the mischief that has already
been done.
But we can prevent further mischief
being done: and 1t would be in the high
est degree reprehensible to let any con-
sideration Of temporary convenience or
Temporary cost interfere with such action.
especially as regards the national forests
which the nation can now, at this very
moment, control.
Devastation Of Old World.
All serious students Of the question are
aware Of the great damage that has oeen
done in the Mediterranean countries OF
Europe, Asia and Africa by deforestation.
The similar damage that has been done IN
eastern Asia is less we'll known.
A recent investigation into conditions IN
North China by Mr.. Frank ~. Meyer OF
the bureau Of plant industry OF the Uniteo
States Department of Agriculture mas IN
cidentally furnished In very strlklng tasn.
ion proof of the ruin that comes from
reckless deforestation of mountains ano
Of the further fact that the damage once
done may prove practically irreparabie. 80
important are these investigations that l
herewith attach as an app nhs .b 20 my
present conditions in China.
They show In vivid fashion the ap-
palling desolation, taking the shape OF
barren mountains and gravei ana saho
covered plains. which Immediately follows
and depends upon the deforestation OF inc
mountains.
Not many centuries ago the country OF
northern China was one Of the most fer
tile and beautiful spots In the entire
world and was heavily fores5ed; we
know this not only from the old Chinese
records, but from the accounts given ny
the traveller Marco Polo.
He. for instance, mentions that In visit
ing the provinces Of Shansi and Shensi
he observed many plantations OF null
berry trees. Now there 10 hardly sim
gle mulberry tee In either OF these prov
inces, and the culture Of the silkworm
has moved farther south, to regions OF
atmospheric moisture.
AS an ILLUSTRATION ol Ihe Co'nD,s,,
change in the rivers. we may take Polo's
statement that a certain river, the Hun
Ho. was 80. large and deep that mer-
chants assembled it from the sea win
heavily laden boats; today this river Is
simply broad sandy BED; With bitber snd
thither across 1t, absolutely unnavigable
But we do not have to depend upon
written records. The dry wells, and the
wells with water far below the FORMER
watermark bear testimony 70 the gooo
days Of the past and the evil days or the
present.
been allowed to remain, as. for instance.
here and there around sacred temple or
burying ground. there are still
huge trees and tangled jungle. fragments
of the glorious ancient forests. Inc
thick. matted forest growth formerly COW
cred the mount ains to their SUBMITS
All natural factors favored this dense
forest growth. and as long az It was per-
mitted to exist the plains at the foot OF
the mountains were among the most fer
tile on the globe and the whole country
was a garden. Not the slightest enort
was made however. to prevent the I'M
checked cutting Of the trees OF to secure
Destruction Through Ages.
Doubtless for many centuries the tree
cutting by the inhabitants OF the noun
tains worked but slowly in bringing about
the changes that have now come to pass:
doubtless for generations the inroads were
scarcely noticeable. But there came a
time when the forest had shrunk suf-
fciently to make each years cutting
serious matter, and from that time on the
proceeded with appalling ra-
pidity; for of course eacn year of de-
struction rendered the forest less able to
recuperate. less able to resist next years
inrOad.
ress Of the destruction even now, when
there is so little left to destroy. Every
morning men and boys go out armed with
mattox or axe, scale the steepest noun
tain sides and cut down and grub out:
root and branch. the small trees and
shrubs still to be found. The big trees
disappeared centuries ago, so that now
one of these is never seen save In the
neighborhood of temples. where they are
artifcially protected; and even mere II
takes all the watch and care on the re
loving priests to prevent their DESTRUCTION.
Each family, each community, where
there is no common care exercised In the
interest Of all of them to prevent oe-
forestation. finds its profit In the lmme-
date use OF the fuel which would other
wise be used by some other family or
some other community. In the total abb
sence Of regulation of the matter in the
interest of the whole people. each small
group is inevitably pushed into policy
Of destruction which cannot afford to take
thought for the morrow.
This is Just one of those matters which
it is fatal to leave to unsupervised indi-
yidual control. The forests can only be
protected by the state. by tha nation. and
the liberty OF action OF individuals must
be conditioned upon what the state or ma
ton determines to be necessary for the
common safety
The lesson of deforestation in China is
a lesson which mankind should have
learned many times already from what
has occurred in other places. Denudation
leaves naked soil: then outlying cuts
down to the bare rocks; and meanwhile
the rock-waste buries the bottom lands.
When the soil is gone men must go; and
the process does not take long.
Desolation After Spoliation.
This ruthless destruction of the forests
In northern China has brought about, or
has aided in bringing about. deso.ation.
just as the destruction Of the forests in
central Asia aid in bringing ruin to the
once rich central Asian cities; just as the
of the forests in northern At
RIGA helped toward the ruin of a region
that was q fertile granary in Roman days.
v~,t,a xl,n. l,ov H.