The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1919-01-10
WILL REFOREST
DENUDED FRANCE
American Forestry Association
Will Aid in Planting Million
and Half Acres.
R|DSDAlE CARRIES THE SEED
Secretary of Association Takes Only
Douglas Fir Seed to Be Had in
This Country to Offer to
France.

Washington.-A little bag containing
all the Douglas fir seed to be had in
this country has gone to France to be
offered to the French government as
a help in refOresting France. P. S.
Ridsdale, the secretary of the Ameri-
can Forestry association is in charge
of the project. There are $4,000 seeds
and the value of the trees will be
about $1,OOO,OOO.
The American Forestry association is
urging the planting of memorial trees
in honor of the sailors and soldiers,
and the suggestion is being adopted
all over the country. The idea is to
plant trees along motor highways, in
connection with any memorials being
planned, and in streets and avenues
being named for war heroes. The as
ISOLATION of which Charles LathrOp
Pack is president urges the planting of
a tree in honor of the man who Of
fered his life to his country also.
Many Organizations Help.
"In collecting the seed that France
will want" said Mr.. Ridsdale be-
fore sailing, "the members of our asso-
citation, the forestry departments of
the various states, the boy scouts and
other organizations will be called upon
to help.
"A million and a quarter acres Of
forest in the north and east of France
have been practically wiped out dur
ing the war. They were cut down by
the contending armies for use In
trench building, for barracks, for
roads, for Y. M. G.. A. and hospital
buildings or were blasted to pieces by
shell fire. But the sacrifice was not
in vain, for the great defensive value
of the forests materially aided France
and her allies in checking the Ger
man drives and saving more of France
from invasion by the Huns.
'The service which the American
Forestry association and it's members
will consider an honor to perform is to
aid in the restoration of these forests
which France had to sacrifice under
the pressure of war, for no war has
ever made such a call upon the for
ests for, materials.
almost million French people
were dependent upon these forests for
six months Of the year for livelihood,
and the French government faces a
great economic problem in providing
them with resources for sustaining
themselves until the forests are re-
stored"
Memorial Tree Plan.
In st. Louis, Park Commissioner
Cunliff is going to plant memorial trees
along the famous Lindell boulevard.
An avenue of the allies" lined with
trees in honor of the allied nations is
One~SuggeStiOn coming from some cit
les adopting the memorial tree plan.
Another plan being worked out is for
the planting of memorial trees along
the transcontinental motor highways
by the various counties through which
such highways pass. The Lincoln
Highway association has taken I'D this
plan. In Louisiana memorial trees are
to be planted, one every 40 feet, along
the Jefferson highway in that state.
This is the highway that leads to Win
nipeg, and the slogan is 'From Pine
to Palm"
In many parts of the country
churches are to plant memorial trees
in honor of the members who fell in
battle.