Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-10-26

Governor Mead in his inaugural has
emphasized the Importance of fores-
try and forest reserves by saying:
''Our people do not appreciate as
they will, the influence of these re-
serves upon the public health. upon
the local lumber market, upon the
beauty of our scenery, upon our water
supply. They serve all these purpos-
es and others, whose influences will be
potent in the development of our
state"
1t is an established fact that ideas
learned and developed in the tender
years of life are retained, while those
earned at more mature age soon
pass away. If then, we wish to train
generation to appreciate the close
relation of forestry to the welfare of
our state, it may be we'll to give IL
struction ia that subject in the graded
school curriculum. The younger
grades may be taught the elements of
tree life and formation. the relation
OF the sap to the leaves, the function
of the soil to the roots, the growth of
the bark, the formation of the bud and
similar facts concerning tree life, all
told in a simple manner. In this way,
a wholesome respect for the tree, is
formed, and foundation is laid for
what is to follow late on.
AS the upper grades are reached, the
work should be more practical. Talks
on tree culture such as cutting out
limbs which detract from the natural
beauty and growth of the tree and
protecting the points from further de-
cay and other points on tree culture
might be taught by an occasional lee
ture by someone in the immediate
vicinity who was informed on the sub
ject.
At later period, the high school
students could we'll be taught the value
of the forests in the conservati on of
our water supply, the bearing for
ests have upon floods and freshets
and how they preserve the beauty of
our scenery. Final emphasis might be
laid upon the protection for future use
of the lumber supply, some varieties
of which are scarce, and commanding
high prices at present. The children
might also be encouraged to set out
pine seedlings from the state nursery
If ground could be obtained for that
purpose. If every child could be en-
couraged to set out a Seeding each,
every year, we would soon have some
excellent embryo forests in process Of
culture.
An occasional warning as to the dan
ger and prevention of forest fires might
not be amiss. Children Of to-day may,
in the near future, be called upon to
subdue forest fires. The first select
man is fire warden in each town and
must direct the subjugation of such
fires. Is it not we'll then, knowing
that children Of to-day must be the
men Of tomorrow, to give them as
much expert knowledge as is possible
in that line, in their schooldays and
thus prepare them for later emergen-
cies? There is growing interest in for
estry by the majority of Vermont peo-
pie. They are awakening to its prime
Importance to the states welfare.
But the older generation will not last
forever. New ones must take their
places. If then, we want a generation
which will fully appreciate the value of
forestry, we must begin now to edu-
cate our children up to that standard.
Forestry is in it's infancy as yet. Our
colleges are graduating numbers each
year trained for the forest service,
which is highly gratifying fact. But
for all that, the average community
will be as ignorant of the principles
of forestry as they ever were unless
the common schools take up the SUBJ
ject.
We must educate our common people
in the essentials, in order that they
may appreciate the full benefits of the
forestry service.