Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-01

ponds, of course, upon the results thai
become manifest from the first few
years of tree planting.
On account of the rapid growth fol
which the various species of euealyp-
I'll are remarkable. and the great val
ue OF the timber as substitute for oak
hickory and the other common hard
woods. these are the trees that are
being most largely used. Forty thou
sand seedlings of the sugar gum
Eucalyptus corynocalyx-were pur-
chased and set out. AS the ground
was scientifically prepared practically
every tree grew. Next years planting
will be much more extensive. In en-
couragement of the project is the
statement of one conservative grover
of eucalyptus. who says that he har-
vests annually timber to the value OF
$3.50 to the acre and that the timber
remaining becomes more valuable each
year. He declares that the annual ma
turaI growth more than eompensates
for what is cut.
OF course must be taken into con-
sideration the fact that eucalyptus
culture is possible only in mia ana
eauable climates. but other woods are
valuable and are bound eventually to
yield large returns for time and en-
deavor intelligently and scientifically
expended, At least such enterprises
are worth looking ilto. The writer
quoted gives several examples Of mu-
nicipal enterprise that are interesting.
For instance:
The city of Baden owns more than
10. 900 acres of forested land. from
which ii derives net annual income
of 1925 per acre. The city of Frei-
9erg owns 5000 acres. and Heidelberg
900 acres of forests, which yield
arge profits annually. Aufen is viii
age of only 229 inhabitants. owning
1913 acres of timber land. From this.
-Nuu lttl bpdiu VI hA1HVCh
IS given yearly to each citizen. and
enough lumber is sold to pay all the
expenses of the little community.
This matter OF reducing the tax
alton is, perhaps. the point in favor
of municipal forests that will appeal
the most strongly To the average dwell
err in the cities. Possibly it is not the
most important phase of the subject.
The national government, the various
states. many of the great railroads and
other corporations, and influential in
dividuals, are keenly alive to the i'm
portance of the movement Tor retor
estation. The waste of our forests
that has been in progress for centuries
must be, at least in part. repaired at
whatever cost. Ii is eminently proper
that the cities should take their place
in the van of what is becoming
great national movement. particularly
when they can do SO with financial
profit, and with benefit to the health
of their citizens.
MANY cities are so located that
they would perform service of ines
Unable value to the people were they
to own the lands adjacent to their
water supply and plant them in forest
trees. From purely pecuniary view
point the investment would be a good
one; but, what is of greater import
ance, they could Protect their water
supply from contamination; and floods
would be prevented.
1T was the consideration of matters
of this kind. rather than of dollars
ffp1.,
ture of Pennsylvania in 1909, to pass
an act-at the instance of the Amer
lean Civic sociation-permittins
townships of the first class. boroughs
and cities to acquire by purchase,
lease or gift. either forested areas or
areas suitable for forestry. Such mu-
nicipal forests may be either within
or outside of the municipal areas, and
funds with which to pay for them may
be derived either from current reve-
nues or from special bond issues. Reg
ulations for such forests are TO be pre-
pared by the State forestry officials.
"Pittsburg derives its water supply
from the Allegheny river. In the sum-
mer months that stream becomes so
low that fears of water famine are
frequently entertained. w men tHe NV
er is low and the water foul and al
most stagnant, typhoid fever is preva-
lent. even since The construction of
the costly filtration plant designed to
give to the people a pure and whole
some water supply. The reforesting
of the watershed would prevent this as
we'll as constitute a guarantee against
floods"
What is true of Pittsburg is true of
numberless other cities, large and
small, scattered throughout the length
and breadth of the land. There are
/ in fact, few cities that would not
profit in more ways than one by the
establishment of forests.
Recall That Won't Recall.