The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-22
KAnaas FORESTS.

This being an on year in Kansas. With
only GOvsrnOr sTUsBs and young Mr.
WA0sfAEF 10 disturb, and neither pro.
hibhiOn nor individual drinking cups
especially Obtraive issues, the State
naturally turns 10 In favorite subject:
Why are the prRisies treeless' From
the earliest days when QUANTRIIL and
the Jayhavkep sought In vaiR for trees
- prime pecessities 10 carry out SEN
tenoes Of their martial courts, Kansas
has never failed 10 wonder why Fortune
Ia 20 bOunteous with automobiles, dia-
m0nds and bulging banks, and Nature
10 niggardly with trees. Professor
ALBERT DICKENS Of the State Agricul-
tsral College does not place the blame
on the soil and climate. a. many do, but
holds the Indians responsible. Accord
inc 70 the kansas Gtv JOuyHai he saws:
Fairy ssuisn remember me indian s,op Of
hov ne pralries uoald NJ burned 70 keep northern
ladiaas frogi viaisrine In kansas. ~ ras pFslrie
aorih Of ne ArkAnsas would ~ burned. The
deer and buaaln would desert the burned rasi
and Ne rOstnE Indian woah IND no pasture Tor
uls war hogps o. pack pony And al ths ume tbs
Gre uas ~ tar,0r nat kept the timber eros u
IRON snoroarhlnG upon TIE domAin ofthc prairie.
Wherever the river hanks were sufYi-.
GENTLY broken tn check the fire, Pro-
fessOr DICKTNs SAYS, timber grew. and
he cites a. examples Cedar Bluff in
TregO county. where the uplands, pro-
tected by a high clin at the rivers edge.
IL completely covered with a good
growth Of red cedar and HOdgemAn
county. where the creek has cut
through the deep soil. leaving occa-
sional high hanks. and in the creek beds
gDod growths Of blackberry, elm. willow
and cottonwood are common. Pro
fessOr DICKENS continues:
slacs The prniris ares have been rsstnrtsd
and ne flsi nee,i Of the sstuer suppiied BY me
coal miner and irsight car ne area Of nauiral
umbcr has increased 81 q most Eraufy,ng rate
rhiFsy years ago ths Arkansas west Of Hutchm
saa and Ia uibusaEies from the sauia praru
oaiy uers devoid % uecs To-day there are
many acres nat are under forest condiuons
and The forest area Il Increasing Most Of THIS
rrUwth T. oot,ouwOod snd vHloE
This might be the final word. coming
from the representative Of the alma
mater 81 30 many Of its sons. in any
State other than one In which every man
Il his own scientist; but kansans refuse
70 accept unqualihedly this theory Of
which they seem 10 see 20 many evil
denoes 20 the contrary.
Howard X. WOoD. who has made a
special study Of this question, writes:
ne Indiaas burned ne prairie 10 clear ne
vay for . new crop Of bunsio rrasA This grass
uss sbsoiutsiy nsc-ssarY for TIC sustonanrs Of
thsir ponies and 10 bring IN ne herds Of buffalo
and IN some places antelope. unlssa the deed
Erl,s vas cleared aEAy By hre Il would become %
matted IN few seasons 81 70 knl ne blaslo Erss,
entirely. which would Ne succeeded BY blue stem
and other rahEaT crowns hat DID not Afford ne
susisaAnos hat the buffalo gfats did. The IN.
dians did rot carry On any extensive campaigns
durinx ne vtntsF snd - . rule trey burussi me
gFairiss IN ths spriag And not n NJ fan These
IL nothing 70 indicate that trees rev on The
prairie 70 ~ bunsa awsy by ~ IhciAns THIS
eondluon uas due undoubtediy 10 ne lack Of
wager and ths ihinResa Of ths son ovsriyans Ire
hardpan-
Mr. WOOD cites the case 81 the natural
forest below Baxter springs and many
heavily wooded parts Of Oklahoma
which have survived all the Indian
prairie fires.
Nearly half century has passed since
the Indians were the monarchs Of the
Kansas prairies. and IN that time the
increase in a natural tree growth on the
plains has been scarcely appreciable.
The few large tracts Of trees existing
thsre. such ~ the Yaggy plantation near
Hutchinson, have all been the result Of
scientific planting and years 81 irriga-
too and cultivation. The great plains
Of the western part Of the State. where
Ire rainfall h uncertain and meagre.
and irrigation, except near the widely
separated streams, is yet undsvelOped.
still stretch their fat treeless expanss
h the horizon. The realization Of Pro-
fessOr DIcKENs's dream Of a natural
iOrsstation Of western Kansas seems
far distant