The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1920-02-17
A PLEA FOR THE PINES

Not infrequently plea is heard lof
tie preservation OF some of the Fioi
ida forests of pines and no DOUBT
tbere are those who reading such an
argument, for the saving OF at least q
few of the magnificent trees OF the
state. mentally agree that 1t snouia
be done. But there are few who are
willing to undertake or even openN
endorse proposition which would
mean the Aparing OF any number OF
the forest giants from the steadily
advancing army of woodsmen. The
demand for timber has never been
more .insistant than it is today anu
the high prices obtained are sending
| men further and more persistently
in to the woodlands, taking smaller
trees and making clean sweep In
many instances. That the state VIII
soon be denuded of timber in a short
time seems certain and yet there
could at least be some acreage saved
. of virgin timber, If something were
) done in a general way to conserve.
The Lakeland Telegram, noting tbs
steady movement that is threatening
+ complete destruction of our pine for
ests. says:
At the risk Of being considered
i impractical. the Evening Tele-
gram would declare its belief that
every county in Florida should
s acquire and dedicate to park pur-
8 poses one or more good sized
tracts Of pine timber lands, In or
d der that some natural beauty OF
'e forest may be conserved to the
Z. coming generations. At the rate
pine timber is disappearing in
10 Florida it will be only few years
until good specimen of this no.
lie BILE tree will be a rarity. Our for
le ests have been ruthlessly and
wastefully sacrificed to CONNER
cialism; and while 1t is recog
nized that yielding fields and
fruitful groves must supplant the
Id woodlands in the inevitable law
IT. Of development. yet something
70 should be conceded to the esthetic
b. side, and we owe 1t to ourselves
ne and those who aN coming after
DIS us to preserve some Of the natural
Re beauty that is fast disappearing
from the Florida landscape.
vn There is nothing more beautiful
OF to our mind than a forest of vir-
on gin pines, unmarried by the depre-
lts dations Of man. II 1t be true
that "t'he groves were Gods first
temples" then indeed were the
pine forests the very cathedrals
as Of primitive worship. Rescue
po- some acres of these forests while
re- there Is time and in their "holy
noe hush" years hence men and WON
airs en- will bless our forethought II
oes leaving to them and to the world
the a legacy Of beauty and inspira
'er- ton out of all proportion to what
'ity ever cost may be entailed.
No effort is being made to refor
the state and the planting Of pil
lool would not be practical, II there sho
two be desire to do so, for the growth
hill very slow and for some unkno
Who reason young pines are very hard
her, transplant. Maybe some Of the CO
who toes can afford to buy and retail
the bit of pine forest, here and there,
had though the movement might not
anne generally popular. Possibly there
ing, nothing to be done except that s,
and who can afford to do 1t, buy and
Ipon large tracts as game preserves. CC
ty parks. such as the kilograms
ticle appears to suggest would b
real value to the people, but it m
be hard to convince them of the I
It'll