Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-06-16

fNSNFMRIlA most encouraging signs OF the times !;
~kAE8HGGk but in this, other great national
MMNEEsssen.ksx, awakeainds there is danger that the
NTzfZ-@S1 movement may progress beyond
WINRA the stage OF discussion to that OF practi-
cal effort Until the necessary legislation secured, it is
we'll for us to take an occasional OF the present
conditions Of waste and point to the ultimate absolute de-
peon Of our resources which must inevitably unless
the strong arm Of the law be called in enforce remedial
and preventive measures We have before succir ct
review Of the question BY Dr. George F. Swain in paper
presented the annual meeting Of the National As
socation of Cotton Manufacturers in which the subject is
treated under the four heads Of Forests Water Lands and
Minerals, says the Scientific American.
AT the present time the people OF the United States
annually forty cubic feet OF wood per acre, offset to
which there is natural growth OF only twelve cubic feet
per acre In the question, whether it is
sary for three times what produce attention
is invited to the fact that while in the United States
use 262 cubic feet per capita. Gemany only 81,
France 25 and Great Britain IA cubic feet per capita.
Forest 6res most OF which entirely preventable, have
consumed since 1870 average Of 50O00000 OF
standing timber per year here is much unnecessary
waste due to careless methods Of logging and saving For
each 1000 feet Of standing timber that cut down. only
320 feet put tanning establishments bark the
trees and leave them die The turpenne industry also.
results in large annual destruction Of timber 1t is not
to be wondered that III the last nine years the price OF
yellow pine at the mill has increased 65 per cent.
Natural gas is allowed waste IN many localities with
out restraint and ii is estimated that sufficient amount is
lost to light all the cities in the United States having
population Of over 100000 Atths present rate Of use
and waste all the known supplies OF natural gas will be
exhausted in rs years AS for oil it is sufficient to state
that at the present rate Of increase the supply will be
haused before the year 1850 lheIah there has been
an Improvement Of about SO peEcent or methods Of
GoaImpiag u recent pEsssa sxsIs Is aaeso'
ine to cave n thereby wasting large percentage OF the
available supply By the middle Of the next century the
easily accessible and available coal in this country will
have been exhausted.
The situation with respect supplies OF iron is
even more serous Tor is estimated that the present
rate OF increase OF consumption continues the known sup.
ply of high grade will be gone by the middle OF the
present century twenty-five years also the limit set
for the exhaustion OF another important
rock Taking all mineral products together, it is es-
timaed that the total waste approxmates SlOOOOUU per
day or over one-sxh the value of the total production
AS to public lands, lands in general is undenabe
that we are failing large crops should
chiefly because we neglect fundamental principles
such as the development OF rotating crops and blowing
on sopnq ground as to prevent washing away OF the soil
Although we have some Of the richest soil in the world
the average yield per from 1897 to 1905 l3o
bushels of wheat in the United States against 28 in
Germany and 322 in the United Kingdom
The facts as above forth relating the exhaustion
of our fuel supplies indicate that in the future years water
power as a national will become increasingly ev
dent To utilize the full hydraulic power Of the rivers il
will be of greatest importance reduce the extremes oil
Aow SO that the waste OF through floods be made
minimum. Statistics show. moreover, that the annual
damage done by floods is increasing and has risen from
S45O00000 in 1900 to S118000000 in 1907. The Mer-
rmac river discharges its periods OF highest Hood
eny times as much water it does its lowest stage
and ten times much its How throughout the
year. The regularity OF the flow be increased BY the
preserva ion Of the Forest whose presence tends retad
the runof Of the rainfall and by the construction OF
ervoirs which will hold back the flood and allow the
Mus water to be drawn of as needed thereby increasing
the average Aow throughout the year Particularly
sary is to protect the forests steep mountain slopes
with view to the prevention OF floods and resulting de
strcton Of the arabic lands in the lower valleys In the
Tenth Congress on International Navigation held in Milan
in 1905 the engineers unanimous on this point M
Lafosse the French delegate describes the evil effect
stripping the forest as follows:
The SOIL swept bare Of its forests. exhausted by ht
abuses Of grazing loses quickly its vegetable stratum
Washed periodically and carried away BY melting snow
and summer storms. is disaggregated. The waters
run toward the low points, rolling before them gravel
boulders and even tearing loose sections oil rock.
thousand rivulets cut out beds the torrent is formed
Scoucs begin the banks are broken down. and
mud, stones and rocks nvades the valley destroying
ever, thing as it passes
Most Of the countries Of Europe have learned the les
son and taken steps for the careful preservation Of thei
forest; and this has been done. merely with view
increasing the timber supply but in the interests Of navi
CATION Over half century ago, the French government
entered upon policy Of forest protection and retoresa
on and up to the 1st Of January 1900 they had acquired
no less than go square miles for these purposes Th
efforts Of our own government to solve this question
scale commensurate with its importance should receiv
the hearty cooperation Of every state Of the Union