East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-11-15
FORESTS IN CHINA.

|
In considering the progress OF the
almost world-wid' q, movement for
protection of forests. an interesting
review has just been made of the
work in Chind, country which is so
often cited as an example of the evil
effects OF deforestation,
In a portion of the Celestial king
dom earnest efforts are now being
made TO re-establish a forest cover
by planting. Consul Wilbur r. Gracey
of Tsingtau, China. reports that the
Germans in that region are making
| The success of the work was practi-
cally assured at the start, for to Ger
many is given the credit for having
the highest developed system of for
estry. and 1t was natural TO expect
that the long experience in forest
work in the Fatherland would lessen
preliminary experimentation and has
ten progress in China.
When Tsingtau 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 reforesta-
tion We're at once made and about
1865 acres have already been planted
About half of this is planted in aca-
cias, the balance in pine, larch val
nut, oak. ash, naples and alders So
successful has this planting been
that the point has already been
reached where the sale of timber can
be made. Small branches are sold for
fire wood and some of the timber is
used for mining purposes, The sale
and expectation of acacia is expected
to become a considerable source of
revenue during the next few years.
1t is particularly remarkable that
this work should have been so sue
cessful in view of the difficulties to
which the plantation was subjected.
The rainfall is light and lack of mois-
ture considerably retarded the devel-
opment of the trees. BY far the
worst enemies however, were insects.
Various species of caterpillars and
other insects have been so destruc-
tive that thousands of Chinese boys
and women are now engaged annu-
ally to destroy them. Various meas
ures of prevention have been tried,
such as placing girdles of glue on the
trees. but these have not been effec-
tive and it was found necessary to
resort to a systematic destruction of
the insects by hand.
caterpillars We're gathered by hand,
smashed. covered with lime. and af-
forwards used as fertilizer. This
method has been successful in pro-
tecting the greater part of the plan
tations, but on the mountains on the
border of the territory the trees are
eaten bare. Acacias appear to with
stand the attacks of the insects bet
ter than any other species, and the
SUBMITS of the mountains are now
being planted with these trees in an
effort to check future destruction In
addition to these enemies Chinese
thieves are another source of diff
Guilty. and on one occasion a band
of thirty six thieves was captured in
the act of stealing wood.
In spite of these drawbacks, how
ever, the work has been so success
full that the Chinese government is
now undertaking forestry schemes in
a number of places under advice from
German experts. This work centers
about Mukden. Manchuria, where
success has already been obtained
with acacias and experiments are
now being made with other trees.
The first Chinese forest school was es-
tabIished at Mukden two years ago.
Six-hundred and twenty-five acres
have already been set apart for cul-
tivatlon. and 14,710 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 affor-
estation, and the Shantung railway
is planting acacias> along 26O miles of
it's trek. This, however is simply
beginning of the work, and the Chi
nese government now has in contem-
plation the Inauguration of extensive
afforestation work in different parts
OF China.