The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-09-25
FORESTRY in FRANCE.
Great Achievement, Her Establishment
of So-called protective" Forests.


Of SO-ealled Protective" Forests.
Tho great achievement Of France in
forestry has been the establishment Of
protective forests were much destruc'
ton had been caused by floods and winds.
From various causes large areas were
cleared OF forests toward the close Of
the eighteenth century, and only when it
was too late was il realized that these
lands were not lit for agriculture and
should have been lett IN forest. TO re-
pair the mistake movement 70 retorest
began Ia the nineteenth century. IL was
an extremely expensive mistake Down
TO the present time, encouraged by wise
laws. the state, the communes, and pri.
waite landowners have restored To forest
over 2,500O00 acres, aud so saved them
from ruin. I'm addition the resulting
forests return an excellent revenue.
Two thirds OF the torrents Of Europe
are in France In the Alps, the Ceven-
mes. and the pyrenees mountains there
are 1902 brooks and mountain streams
which are considered dangerous. Nearly
a million acres of mountain slopes are
exposed 10 erosion by these streams, 70
say nothing OF the Hat land below. As
tar back as the sixteenth century there
were local restrictions against clearing
mountain sides, enforced by fines, eonils.
cation and corporal punishment. I'm the
main these prevented ruinuus stripping
OF hillsides, but with the French revo.
luton these restrictions were swept
aside and the mountains were cleared at
such rate that disastrous effects were
felt within ten years. by 1903 the PEG.
Pile had become aroused to the folly Of
this cutting. Where useful brooks had
been there now rushed torrents which
flooded the fertile fields and covered
them with sterile soil washed down from
the mountains The clearing continued
unchecked until some 100000 acres Of
farm land had been ruined or seriously
injured, and the population OF eighteen
departments had been reduced to poverty
and forced 10 emigrate.
BY 1906 the state took up the problem,
but in such q way that the burden Of
expense for reforestation was thrown
upon the mOuntaineers, who, moreover,
were deprived Of much pasturage. Com.
plants naturally arose An attempt
was made 10 check torrents by sodding
instead OF by forest planting. This,
however. proved a failure, and recourse
was again had 10 planting, by the law
Of 1882 which provides that the state
shall bear the costs. Since then the cX-
ceilent results OF planting have COM
pletely changed public sentiment. The
mouutaineers are most eager to have
the work 20 on and are ready TO offer
their land for nothing to the forest de-.
partment. In addition TO lands secured
hy gift, the state acquires $4,000 to
10000 acres a year over 500 600 acres
have been acquired and more than one
half OF this area has been planted.
Already 1853 Of the torrents have been
entirely controlled and Gj4 are beginning
TO show teh controlling effects Of the for.
est on their watershed. Thirty-one Of
the forests now entirely controlled were
considered hopeessiy bad half a century
ago II is expected that S50,000000 will
have been spent before the work of re-
foresting for protection is complete
Scientific American.