New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-02
VARS WOUNDS in EARTHS BREAST COST MILLION

such food as pho.phoric acid, normally provided
by the phosphate rock beds in the Southern states
Of this country, and of nitrates, which arc nor
maly obtained from Chill. On the other hand,
the soil OF the United States Is suffering from
the lack Of potash normally produced In Ger
many, and from the expectation Of plant food In
the form Of beef, wheat and other grain 20 the
warning countries. 1,0o0-pound steer going 70
Europe takes with him, at the expense OF Ameri-
can soil, S429 worth Of nitrogen, phosphorus acid
and potash. One hundred bushels Of wheat az
ported take out Of the country sla2e worth Of
the same elements.
Starving the soil may not seem to be on .
par with starving human beings. but In the long
view the proposition is about the same. starved
soil means hungry people. Over In England there
is law which frankly states It's purpose as, first,
to conserve the soil; second 70 look after the
interests Of the tenant, and third, to give the
landlord his dues.
1T SEEMS THAT DEAD MEN ARE POOR
FERTILIZERS.
The earth in the zone does not get much
benefit from the inferred patriots, numerous
though these be, owing to poor distribution Of
the material There is more chance OF tsinting
properly fertlzing the ground. Moreover. the
practice Of cremation prevents cannon food from
being turned into plant food.
Besides the damage to the soil. direct and In
direct, must be considered the damage to trees
and plants. A vast number Of trees have been
destroyed or cut down for use In military opera.
tons. Defenders as well as attackers have cut
down trees of half a century or & eentury's growth
on highways, hillsdes, around forts and cities.
Green timber has been used on Q vast scale to
line the sides Of trenches, to make bombproofs,
gun Shelters barbados, huts and corduroy roads.
A lot of wood has been used for fuel. Entire
forests have been burned to dislodge the enemy.
A mere 3-inch shell going through q wood may
cut down fatally wound two dozen young trees.
wounded tree bleeds and is liable to infection
in Its wound. The soldiers naturally cut the
young trees, which are easiest to handle, and
thereby do the greatest possible damage to .
plantation.
Many orchards and vineyards have been de-
stroyed. What they WORTH II takes ten
years for apple tree to get anywhere, and then
it is good for fifty years Of production. On the
shores Of Lake Ontario in this state, are many
acres planted with twenty or more apple trees,
and each tree Is conservatively valued at 500.
The peach grows more quickly and Is worth less.
The standard pear is slow and valuable, while
the dwarf pear is speedier, with less fruit.
vineyard takes Ave years to bear we'll.
THE OUTRAGED EARTH WILL HAVE HER
REVENGE.
In addition to the outright destruction Of trees
and vines, we must figure the damage Of neglect.
There are plant enemies such as scale, gypsy
moth and grape blight, which kept down only
by an unremitting warfare. When devote
themselves exclusively TO fighting another, the
plant enemies have free chance 10 Develop and
overrun the earth. After, IL not during, the war
Europe will be scourged with epdemics OF plant
diseases. The United States spends millions Of
dollars a year TO fight the numerous foes OF
plants. 1t would pay the European eombatsnts
TO have an armistce for the purpose Of spraying
their fruit trees with lime-sulphur and bordeaux
mixture. They might also agree to put grating
wax on wounds made by bullets or she'll splinters
trees, so as to prevent infection with plant
disease. A tree may be worth much as pa
triot. Whoever wins the fight, Europe will need
her trees
The willows and the poplars destroyed In Flan-
ders may be replaced in two decades, but there
are forests Of fine old shade trees and orchards
Of fruit trees laid low, which will not be restored
until the grandchildren Of the present warriors
are gray headed Two generations OF mankind
will be short Of shade and fruit because Of the
berserker fury Of to-day's combatants.
Apart from other aspects, country denuded Of
its trees suffers heavy injury from the erosion
of soil on slopes and hillsdes and the production
of foods alternating with drouths Forests hold
moisture, give it out gradually TO the earth and
prevent washing away OF the soil In this eoun-
try the soil loses more by erosion, which Is mere
waste than by all the plant food taken from It 10
produce our immense crops.
Earth outraged will present large bill 70 the
Allies and the German Austrian forces. The item
lied account will include soil injured by trenches
whether on the firing line or in defensive work,
around Paris, in England, along the Rhine and on
frontiers of hostile or neutral nations; soil raw
aged by shells or otherwise in the theatre OF
operations; soil starved and neglected through
out Europe; trees and plants destroyed or neg
lected; loss of farm cattle and equipment; In
jury to roads, and damage by foods and drouths.
All these items belong together.
And while other debts may possibly be re-
pudated. this debt to earth will have to be paid
to the last penny