The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-01-22

be hearing frequently these days
n OF battles In Herzegovina that
would make us think of how Han
nibal fought his way through the
Alps, for down in that country there
are passes so narrow and slopes so
steep, just where desperate fights have
taken place, that even Napoleon might
well have been deferred.
Warfare is bringing sad havoc in its
wake to the folk of Herzegovina. Not
only are towns being ruthlessly de-
stroyed, not only are the men and boys
mustered into the armies of Franz Jo-
zef and away, but, among others, in
vading armies are living off the coun-
try and that means using up the great
herds of goats upon which the prov
ince largely lives. In fact, the one
trouble Herzegovina has ever given
the Austrian is its revolutionary spirit
over the goats. So true is this, so deep
the feeling on either side, that the
place has often been dubbed "a nation
at war about the goat"
1.-THE goat" Baron Ritz, governor Of
Herzegovina, explained in an inter-
view in Mostar, lis the great factor in
the life of our people. A goat ranges
in value from $3.50 to $500 and a
mans wealth is often stated in terms
of his herd. The state has long been
striving to suppress the goats, as they
destroy the vegetation which We feel
is the great essential for the rehabili.
tation of Herzegovina; while the peo-
pie who care nothing about reforesting
the mountains, for the benefit OF fu.
ture generations, raise the cry that
the goat is to them everything, and
that we are no better than despots.
All Of the Goat Utilized.
Their praises of the goat are, OF
course, we'll founded. AS the rein
deer to the Eskimo, so is the goat tt
the Herzegovina. Hide and hair, meat
milk, horns, all are utilized. Then
too, the goat is hardy and hunts it
own food, wherefore the people ask
why prefer the vegetation. whicl
there would be no animals to devoul
to the goats, who seem already to I'm
all that they need?'
Accordingly, to pacify them, tn
goat.tax has been made very low an
it is regulated by the number OF an
mails a man may possess, in dlrec
ratio. A peasant who has but te
goats returning to his barns from tn
mountains each evening, pays elgf
cents a head, while he whose herd
100 strong, it is felt, can pay nor
per capita.
Now this is the governments Sic
of the matter Forests are absolute
necessary to Herzegovina, to regula'
the climate, if for no other reason. W
, need them, too, to yield humus, an
thus stop the spread of the karst,
desert region, and we also need the
to regulate our water supply. We al
). trying to reforest and make the mou
D tains green in order to get all the'
r benefits for the peasant. But
doesn't see it that way.
Different methods are being e.
ployed to accomplish our purpose. U
y Of the commonest, is to blast, wi
=. dynamite, holes for the trees, tn
o carry soil to the pit and create here
y forest reserve. Frequently what
pears from the road as a mere slo
!, of rock is covered with tiny oaks a
h other very young trees and is eds
with signs, prohibiting pasturage
Ia the area. On the sly, however, a
" frequently from mere laziness or spi
- the peasant will drive his goats II
the area and then. when he is m
~ heavily for the destruction that
-, suits. he too, becomes an opponent
N the government.
"a Creating Forest Reserves.
at According as these plants thrive
~. tho outset, we Judge if it will pay
plant further in the locality ana a
I'D in Just how many years such tr
w may be termed fertile. Some pla
have been covered by green vegf
no ton in two years and are then h
~ "a reserve to the end OF the IN
no year, when they become partly
RI ested. Sheep are the first animals
,o United to the new pastures. as T.
do not rise on their hind legs 10
YOUR the growing tops OF the pia
Then, the year after opening to
sheep, the cattle are admitted
:" these also do not reach the tops,
W. finally one year still later, the goa
-. admitted, the shrubbery beng
nc high enough to care for itself.
y, W, Parallel plots of these reserves
=, laid out over the province, so
:. when plot No. is entirely reser
'e' in the next there are sheep and