Arizona republican., 1909-04-05
gardens, parks, and even public

gardens, parks, and even public
avenues?
Why are the elements of forestry
and horticulture taught in the COM
mon schools Of Germany?
Why are so many forestry schools
supported in every part of continental
Europe?
In all cases the purpose is to create
a public sentiment favorable to tree
planting, and TO famiarize the peo-
pie with the best species and varieties
of trees and the best modes and
methods of planting and managing
them.
Did you ever stop to think how
much we owe to trees? Let US see.
We have learned in school that
trees purify the air by taking out of
it gases which are hurtful TO man,
and also that they purify the springs
Of water at their roots: consequently
we understand why it is that terrible
fevers have so often followed the
cutting down Of forests in new
country. But do we know, too. that
the health giving quality Of trees is
only one Of their many virtues?
Not the least Of these is the pre-
vention of floods, and the droughts
which follow floods. We often won
der how this is. Now we know that
if we hang out a piece Of wet cloth
in the sun and wind, il VIII become
quickly dry. The water in it has
evaporated. SO 1t is with the open
spaces where there are no trees.
And the moisture which has all at
once been absorbed by the air is
discharged in torrents instead Of in
gentle rains as would be the case
if there were trees and il was alb
sorbed gradually. Here again comes
in the question of health, for floods
and droughts are as hurtful to man
as the soil which suffers from them.
A way in which trees help us great
", which is not often thought of, is
by preventing so great extremes OF
heat and cold as there would other
wise be. our Biographies tell us
how the ocean equalizes the climate
of places upon il. IL is upon the
same principle that trees modify eli
mate, though i'm a lesser degree. Their
effect upon desert land is well known.
II has been found that, where trees
have been planted to keep off the
winds Of the ocean from such land,
in a short time crops could be raised.
This is because the winds take up
moisture very quickly. When they
cease to blow, therefore, or blow less
hard the rainfall is increased. In
deed, it has been thought that even
the terrible Sahara desert itself,
might be made fertile by planting
trees. II is known that springs of
water in the cases disappear if the
trees are for any reason destroyed,
and also that new springs appear in
the spots where they have been made
to grow.
During the past century. the rulers
and educators of Europe, from the
king down to the common school
teacher. have kept before the people
these few primary facts in regard
to trees, that our commerce, home
shelters, furniture, machines, land
scape effects, depend upon tree plant |
ing and forest preservation.
only this constant education OF the
masses would permit the maintenance
of the rigid forest laws of nearly |
all continental Europe.
IT has been said that the Europeans
may disagree on questions of poll |
tics. religion. etc, but on the for
estry question, from prince to peasant, !
they agree that, at least, 80 1-3 per
cent Of the entire area of the coun-
try must be kept in timber blocks
distributed for economic uses |
and climatic effect.
This public education also renders
POSSIBLE the system of fruit trees by |
the roadside, the beautiful little park
and flower garden at the railway !
station, and tree and shrub groupings
and effects everywhere, such as we
cannot reach with out present public
sentiment.
To US this work is new. With n |
forest wealth, which the United
States possesses in extent and number
Of valuable species not excelled on
the earth, the first moves in the oc
Of the continent have been
in the way of wasteful forest destruc-
ton.
But a new era is dawning. In
many ways that cannot be enumerat-
ed we have commenced the good work
which a century of growth has made
nearly complete in parts of Europe.
None, perhaps, can appreciate so
fully the loneliness and charm of trees
as those who have crossed the desert
plains of our great west for the first
time. How the passengers on the
overland train crowd about the little
plats of grass Carefully guarded by
ron fences), where trees are growing,
while such ordinations as "Oh! don't