The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-11-04
FORESTS I'm CHINA.
Are Being Planted by Germans, Togeth-
er with Chinese.

Are Being Planted by Germans, Togeth-
er with Chinese.
in considering the progress Of the
almost world wide movement for pro-
lection Of forests, an interesting review
has just been made o. the work in
China "a country which il SO often cited
as an example Of the evil effects 81 de
forestation.
In portion Of the celestial kingdom
earnest efforts are now being made TO
re establish 4 forest cover by planting.
Consul Wilbur T. Gracey Of T=ingtan,
China. reports that tbs Germans in that
region are making successful attempts
at reforestation. The success Of the
work was practically assured al the
st8rt. for to Germany ii given the credit
fo rhaving the highest developed system
Of forestry, and it was natural TO ex-
peet that the long experience IN forest
work In the fatherland would lessen pre-
liminary experimentation and hasten
progress in China.
When TsiRatau was occupied by the
Germans about eleven years ago, the
hills were found bare and barren. with
only a sporadic growth Of scrub pine and
weeds. Plans for reforastation we're at
once made, and about 2s9e5 acres have
slreaay been planted, About half Of
this Is planted Ia acaeias, the balance in
pine, lareh, walnut, OAK, ash. naples,
and alders. Sd successful has this plant
ing been that thu point has already been
reached where the sale at timber can
be made Small branches are sold for
flrewood and some af the timber i used
for mining purposes. The sale and ex-
portation Of acacia Is expected to be-
come considerable source of revenue
during the next few years
1T Il particularly remarkable that this
work should have been 50 successful In
view az the difficulties To which the
nIanta tien was subjected The rainfall
Il light and Lack Of moisture consider
ably retarded the development Of the
trees. 81 far the worst enemies. how.
ever. were insects. Various species Of
eaterpillars and other insects have been
se destructive that thousands Of Chinese
BOYS and women are now engaged aunu.
ally 10 destroy them Various measures
If prevention have been tried, such as
placing giFdles Of glue on the trees, but
these have not been effective and 1t was
found necessary to resort to syste-
matte distinctions Of the insects by
hand.
During 1908 over seven million cater
pillars we're gathered BY hand. smashed,
covered with lime, and afterwards used
al fertilizer. This method has been sue,
eessfnl In protecting the greater part
or the plantations, but on the noun
tains on the border Of the territory the
trees are eaten bare Aeacias appear to
Withstand the attacks OF the insects bet+
ter than any other speciess ard the
SUBMITS of the mountains are now he
ing planted with these trees ii an effort
to check future destruction. In addi
ton to these enemies, Chinese thieves
are another source Of Difficulty. and on
one occasion band Of thirty-six thieves
was captured III the act Of stealing wood
Tn spite of these drawbacks, however,
the work has been So successful that
the Chinese government is now underl
taking forestry schemes In d number Of
places under advice from German exs
perts. This work centers about aiul-
den. Manchuria, where success has al
ready been obtained with acacias and
experiments are now being made with
other trees. The first Chinese forest
school was established at aIukden two
years ago six hundred and twenty-five
acres have already been set apart for
cultivation. and PATIO acres are to be
purchased for afforestation
Three large mines in China, In the
provinces Of Chilli and Shansi. which
are under the management Of Euro,
peans. are making plans for afforesta-
ton, and the shanfunp railway Is plant.
ing aeacias along 200 miles Of its track
This, however is simply a beginning Of
tho work. and che Chinese government
now has in contemplation the inauGura
ton Of extensive aifofestation work in
different parts Of China