Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-21
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
/. G.. NJ.
FORESTRY ALMANAC. 1929 Edition.
Compiled and edited by the Ameri-
can Tree Association, Washington,

II. L.
If, 800 years ago. one could have
flown across the United States as he
! can today, ard does, he would have
seen spread out beneath him vast re-
gions of impenetrable forest in place Of
the cities and towns and hamlets and
open fields that now beckon him so
companionably from the solid surface
below. hundred years later he would
have seen cleared patches in this dense
treeland. primitive farms green with
food crops, trail of pioneer and settler
In another half century these had in
creased enormously under the home
seeking ardor of the European immi-
grant. Then came the period Of the
lumberman and logger. Their camps
multiplied as the demand for homes
grew. This period of home building
was stamped by a wasteful destruction
of forest trees. as If these were OF such
extent as to render them inexhauStible.
In these later days steel and concrete
have in a measure taken the place OF
wood, yet the demands upon building
timber are still very great. Besides,
science. in partnership with industry
has invented so many uses for wood
fiber as to increase greatly the tax i'm
posed upon the splendid virgin forests
of the country. So. it has come to pass
that within this short span of American
settlement and growth the forests that
took many times 800 years for their
growth and maturity are now in dam
ger of depletion, and even of eXtinc
ton. under the reckless treatment to
which they have been subjected by the
people.
About half century ago few men
of farsight and genuine interest in the
general Well-belng of their country
woke to the imperiled state OF the
American forest. Agitation secured the
action of Congress to provide for sur
vey of the forest resources. That was
the start from which has grown the
present organized interest and activity
in this most important subject. Two
large lines are followed in the work OF
the American Tree Association. One
is iudicious preservation of the forests
now in existence and the other is re-
forestation
The Forestry Almanac is a publica-
ton whose purpose is to report prog
ress in every department of forestry
work The edition in hand, that OF
1929, is designed to bring the subject
up to the moment for the benefit OF the
public whose interest and whose duty
in respect to this matter are personal
and imperative. Trees are the business
of everybody. Every tree is the imn1e-
date concern of each OF its human
neighbors. This point cannot be over
stressed AS in so many other worthy
enterprises. in this one. too. success de-
ponds upon the individual sense OF re-
Sponsibility No matter how wise may
be the plans that are laid, nor how per-
feet the organization for carrying them
through the best cannot be achieved
without the deeply interested and active
support of you and me-al the yous
and mes.
BY way Of introduction, Charles La
throp Pack, president of the American
Tree Association, reports the progress OF
forestry from its formal beginnings half
a century ago, up to its status in the
present To this he adds a hopeful
vision for the next few years, and be-
yond. These years of up-building have
seen, and we still see, the rapid deple-
ton Of our forest resources" But, In
brighter outlook Mr.. Pack pictures the
Weakening Of more general concern In
this vital matter. A great point. that:
For people generally-men, women ana
children-selZed with a really passion
ate desire to save the trees, will see that
the thing is done, or that 1t Is on the
way to a splendid fruition. What bet
ter single thing in the way of education
could be imagined than for children to
learn a true affection for this beautiful
thing-a tree-and to devote to II the
kindness and care that spring from
every sort OF love?
The Forestry Almanac is a real treas
ure house. In it one may find useful
facts about the subject in hand, as he
may find also many deeply interesting
story of tree life, or the life of creatures
dependent upon the trees. Here, con-
cisely summed, topic by topic, is the
work of the United States Forest Serv-
ice, coupled with digest OF national
legislation in respect to the matter. Ma
tional and State associations are de-
scribed in their purpose and activities
and achievements. Foreign associations
are briefly compared with our own for
the commonly conceded benefits derived
from such parallelismS and divergencleS.
With the space at command 1t Is not
possible to name even the deeply IN
terestings and important facts OF Tor
estry that appear in this publication:
How to Plant Trees" is theme OF
wide usefulness to the children every
where, and it must be kept in mind
that the children are vital point IN
program whose support and mai
fulfllment rests upon them, the men
and women of tomorrow. To klndle
them with love for the trees today
promises a fouriShing and useful tree
world Of the nearing future. Tree
holidays are planned and tree high
ways are described. Famous trees are
named in high honor, and those that
belong to the hall of fame" are cited.
Summer camps in their effects upon
the forests are pictured hopefully. since
these camps are becoming direct agents
in the preservation of the trees. Spe-
cial reports are made by ofncers OF
various forestry societies, National and
State. These sum to authentic and
instructive records of the subject as
whole. The National Park Service is
given as it is carried forward in the
various parts of the country. The
rangers come in for a picturesque and
enjoyable accounting. Professional
schools are described in their origin,
support. program and contribution TO
the subject Of practical forestry as
whole. The work of women'S clubs
in cooperation with the governmental
agencies of reforeStation is described,
as is that of the American Legion.
Demonstration forests are placed and
summarized in their purposes and ef-
fectS-forests of New York State Col
lege, of Harvard. of Yale, and the
University of Washington. Experiment
stations and laboratories here spread
out their processes. following these
through to their applications in a prac-
teal issue. No more interesting topic
appears here than that bearing upon
game protection, upon the sanctuary
and refuge for animals. Humane and
practical, this is finely suited to the
study of children who are going to
look after the woods and their people
tomorrow and the next day. While
this record is, as matter of course ad-
dressed to the grown folk, to the work.
ers in the present the point of carry
ing it as far as possible into the daily
life Of the children is one SO vital,
So momentouS to both children and the
subject itself that 1t cannot be too
much emphaSi2ed-So it seems TO ne.