The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-12-18
DENUDING FORESTS FOR
CHRISTMAS TREES.

CHRISTMAS TREES.
The recommendation of tn
United States forest service that
law be passed prohibiting the sale o
Christmas trees freshly cut from tn,
forest has much in its favor. 1t Il
difficult to champion a cause OPP
posed to the joys Of the children
such as attend the usual Christina
tree festivities; but in the increased
fire hazard, and In the devastation
of the timber supplies of the future
there is ample reason for suggesting
that a substitute for the graceful
evergreen be found to adOrn thu
home at Christmas time.
This paper has heretofore on oc
casion called attention to the in
evitable results that must follow the
indiscriminate destruction of the
young forests in order to supply 6
seasonal demand for decorative
trees. Other papers and especially
those of the intermountain section
among them notably the Salt Lake
Tribune, have voiced protest
against the practice and many sug-
gestions have been offered concern
ing a suitable and satisfactory sub
stitute.
Such a substitute might be found
in suitable wooden structure on
which lights and presents could be
displayed; and there are, of course,
the perfectly harmless and very
beautiful trees artificially made,
which cannot only be bought at rea-
sonable prices, but which can be laid
away and used with different trim
iv,o in Dot he
great aim must not be lost sight of,
that the evergreen tree can never
look so beautiful howsoever well it
is trimmed, as it does in it's natural
position in the forest, on the noun
tain slope.
The national forest service has ac-
ceded to the demand of the local
public in most localities, and permit
ted the cutting of specially marked
or designated trees, which in the
opinion of the foresters were the
least valuable to the future timber
supply. But these have never been
permitted to fall into the hands of
merchants for sale, nor have the cut
tings ever been extensive. Indeed,
in most cases, il the foresters had
their way, there would not have been
dAJ OaA otm0o II &C Cuttln6S, anu VI
this attitude nearly everyone can
approve.
The trouble has been that the
Christmas trees, cut in vast Quanti-
ties and sold on the open market,
have been cut from private grounds,
beyond the reach of the government
forest authorities. The owners, hav-
ing principal regard for the present
income, and possibly desiring to
clear the land of its forest growth
ultimately to make farming or graz
ing lands, have most recklessly cut
through the growths, thereby remov-
ing the prospect of many millions of
feet of timber for future generations. |
OF course, an owner has right to do
with his own property whatever he
pleases, but, if there were a law
such owners would have less incen- |
tive for robbing their descendants of |
their just inheritance in the forests |
There is hardly week that some
organization or other, outside the |
national foresters and their associ-
ates, does not point to the waning
timber supply, and the fact that lum-
Der consumption is going on apace
much faster than timber growth
The very paper on which this editor
ial is printed forms one of the drains
on the forests, which the natural
timber growth has not for many
years been able to Offset And the
vastly increased use and distribution
of lumber, despite the greater in
crease in lumber substitutes, is sig
nificant of the comparative nearness
Of the end of the natural timber sup
ply of the country.
These are stubborn facts, which
have been pointed out times without
in the news and editorial
and yet year after year the
slaughter of young trees goes on;
trees to produce which requires from
fifteen to forty years. Every child
should be taught to love the tree in
The forest and not in the home; he
should be taught to see the perman-
snce and profit of tree growing in
he forest, and the temporary pleas
Ire and the imitation or make-be-
ieve condition created with the tree ]
standing in the corner of the room.
The child is taught economy in |
,ther matters, and it's training tends
oward economies in civic affairs; {
Why not begin now to show the ex- {
rava gance and waste of the natural ]
'esources by cutting Christmas t
rees? The child is taught the value
If artistic things; why not lead it to {
Zee the beauty of a tree in it's native
POSITION? We all pride ourselves {
m our farsightedness in planning i
.ity improvements, highways, irriga- c
ion systems, and other public i'm
for the future; why can a
lot we pride ourselves on the con- c
ervation of natural resource as =
aluable as a forest of evergreen I
rees at or near our very doors? t
Let us plant tree, not kill tree! l.