The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1914-07-15
Forestry

W are Riuu w ituIli tllht tui
honorable State Solous at their
last biennial session created the
position of State Forester, and
W. wish to add our humble
commentator of this wise act.
IL is possible that but few of
our people realize how directly
dependent the prosperity of the
country is now and always has
been upon the forests. That
these forests have been and are
still being destroyed. in most
cases with no thought for the
future, is a most deplorable
fact. Our country ranks far
behind Germany, France, Eng
land, Switzerland, Belgium,
japan, Italy and other European
countries in the care of forests.
These countries, several humid
red years since, had the realiza-
ton Of the Importance of their
forests forced upon them and
they have developed an efficient
forest service.
Think of the almost innumer-
able purposes for which wood
and it's by products are used
All this wood must come from
our forests. From whence do
the streams come that water
our fertile country From the
mountains and highlands cover
ed with the shade of forest trees
and the decnyed and decaying
leaves, wood and twigs. which
enables these highlands to hold
the water that falls as does
reservoir and feed it into the
vnll.es below as it is needed.
Allow these forests to be de
stroyed, and the covering of
decaying leaves etc.-the forest
iloor-burned away by forest
fires and the surface of the
ground left dry, baked and
hard, ana what will become of
our streams of water The
mountains cannot hold the
water that falls upon them; it
will rush of in torrents, doing
great damage. The streams
will dry up after these torrents
have passed out, for lack of
water to supply them, and
agricultural persuits will be-
come more and more difficult
and the population decrease in
proportion. These conditions
are coming to exist around lis.
We need not 20 for to find a
dry stream bed. trace it TO it's
source and the devastating hand
of man will be found.
By Forestry is not meant the
absolute preservation intact OF
the forests, but the wise use of
these forests az u crop, to be
wisely cut as the trees mature
with due regard for young
growth. Also the prevention
u; crude waste. Under oar
modern methods of destructive
numbering, it is doubtful if
more than one-half of the cubic
contents of standing tree is
ever used. y large part is left
in the woods, on the stumps
and in the laps. The slabs and
sawdust take another large
part and the remainder after
dressing and working to COM
plete the waste.
When the white man first
came TO America, the forests
afforded a home and protection
for his enemies, the wild ami.
mails and Indians, and he was
Obliged to cut and burn the
trees to get them out of his way
before crop growing was pos
sible. This developed in them
a dislike for the woods which
has been transmitted from gem
GRAFTON TO generation. We
have no reason for such feeling
Of enmity now, and we should
learn TO lovesthe woods and re-
gard the trees as our friends.
Elevating forestry should be
taught in nll our schools both
rural and city, so as TO instill
this love into the younger
generations.
The effect OF the forests i'm