The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-24

y
becomes a veritable desert. In short, the
of the forest means the dis
appearance of everything in civilization
that is worth while"
Woods and Water Supply.
Many incidents could be cited to show
the injurious effects of forest denudation.
The contraction and decrease in volume Of
the River Euphrates in MesOpotamia are
attributed to the destruction of the timber
which once grew along its entire course
almost to the sea- Alexander Buchan, the
distinguished Scottish meteorolegist, men
tons a striking example Of the effect of
forest vegetation upon the waters Of
South American lake. The valley OF
Aragua in Venezuela is wholly shut OF
from the sea and all its rivers being de-
prived Of any ocean outlet, unite and form
Lake Tacarigua. The forests around this
lake before the revolution which ousted
the Spanish power in South America, had
been destroyed TO make room for plaDta-
tons, and the lake had SO diminished In
size it seemed likely TO dry up entirely.
During the war Of independence, however,
which lasted twenty-five years, these lands
remained wholly uncultivated and the
tropical forests grew up again around the
lake, so that at the end of the war it was
found that the waters had resumed their
old level and indeed covered most Of the
lands which had been occupied by the
plantations.
Half Our Forests Gone.
When jamestown in Virginia was set
tied by the London Company in 1907 and
when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in
1920, the country from the Atlantic sea-
board to the Mississippi River was
covered with wilderness Of unbroken viz
gin forests. It is estimated that the Amer
lean colonies originally possessed ffty-two
hundred billion feet of merchantabls TIM
Der, while to-day only twenty-nine hun
bred billion feet remain. In 140 years
more than half of the original supply has
been exhausted and the present rate Of
cutting exceeds the annual growth Of the
forests.
1t is manifest, therefore, that unless the
consumption of timber is lessened or the
production increased there will ultimately
be dangerous shortage In the supply
we say dangerous because as has often
been observed, wood enters into the daily
life Of mankind from birth to death, from
the cradle to the coffin. Mr.. Boerker esti-
mates that the twenty-five billions OF cubic
feet of wood which we take from our for
ests every year Is enough lumber to con-
struct seven board walks twenty-five feet
wide from the earth to the moon, or a
board walk one-third Of a mile wide COM
pletely around the earth at the equator
The lumber industry, measured by the
number Of persons employed, is the largest
industry in the country,
furnishing work to over a million wage
earners and yielding products valued at
over two billions Of dollars a year.
at Reforestation.
The first attempt to check the dangerous
destruction Of forests by legislation was
made in Wisconsin in 1867 and in 1869 the
Legislatures Of Michigan and Maine ap-
pointed committees to investigate the sub
jeet. In 1873 Cor ress sanctioned an ef-
fort TO reforest the treeless prairies of the
Western States by passing the timber eul-
ture act, which entitled q person who
planted forty acres Of land with timber to
receive title to 100 acres of the public do
main. This piece of legislation, however,
says Mr.. Boerker, proved dismal failure
and WAS finally repealed, principally be-
cause the settlers had no knowledge of
planting trees.
"The first constructive piece Of legis-
latiOn enacted by Congress Of the United
States was the ast Of August 16, 1876.
This was the first Of series of acts passed
BY Congress which, although occurring