Evening star., 1939-06-25

'ebr. u. S. Forest Service Photo.
and dry and dying. On many farms you
may see comparative conditions-two
fields, same soil, same crop, same cultiva-
ton, same climate, some owner-One
protected by trees and one unprotected.
Within the area protected by the trees
will be good crops; on the adjoining
field will be parched and withered stalks.
Nor is that all. For the first time, in
many sections fruit trees and strawber-
ries are growing today under the protec-
ton OF windbreaks, while game, song and
insectivorous birds are nesting and in
creasing. Watermelons can again be
grown in some places where it had not
been possible to produce them because
of excessive soil blowing. And house
wives and little children picnic-now-in
these saving groves.
Only One Source Of Opposition.
Very close to my heart and to my hopes
for the country are the trees planted in
the plains. I have watched them grow
year by year. In all that time I have
found only one source of opposition,
other than that based on ignorance of
the true situation, to continuance of this
prairie tree planting program. That op-
position comes, understand, from some
nurserymen who have trees to sell. l
understand that opposition; I under
stand that we all have to live. But I
think it is shortsighted opposition. In
the first place, the present plan for pro-
viding windbreaks is cooperative and of
minimum cost to the farmer. He pro-
vides the land and fence material and
agrees to cultivate the trees. The Forest
Service furnishes the trees, plants them
and advises on how to get best results
with them through the years. And I
believe-indeed, know-that very few
farmers of the plains could afford, es-
pecially with the debt burden from the
drought, to put in windbreaks on a regu-
lar commercial basis. paying for trees,
the labor and SO on. In other words,
there is only limited regular CONNER
cial market for forest tree nursery prod
ucts in the plains area. In the second
place, let tree strips be started through
out that country and there will be q
market for trees from the private
nurseries such as never existed before.
The plains already are becoming tree
conscious; they will be ever more CRATE
full to, and desirous of, trees. And this
feeling cannot but lead them to plant
more and more ornamental trees and
shrubs about their homes, to plant fruit
trees and bushes In the lee of their wind
breaks.
Permanent Program Seen.
We need, then, a permanent Federal
tree planting program as a bridge to
richer and better plains country. We
need it as an insurance Of our national
grain food supply. believe the nursery
men will see such program as bridge
to bigger market and better business
than they have ever had
One thing more. am a resident of a
prairie State and it may be that in all
this have seemed to speak only as
plainsman. But aside from the food
question this is a national problem
which already has burdened other COM
munities from coast to coast. When the
drought drove thousands of farmers
from the great plains. where did they
60? They went to other farm COM
munities seeking jobs, they went to the
cities; thousands Of them went to Cali
fornia Thousands Of them migrated
with their families to the Northwest
States Of Washington and Oregon. They
added to the relief roles everywhere.
More rainfall on the plains last year and
the year before, and the increased plant
ing of field windbreaks, have brought
better prospects to the prairie States
farming communities. understand
some of the people who were driven out
have begun migrating back. But let me
ask you this: When they are back, and
the. next dry years fall upon the plains,
are they to be driven forth again-these
hard-working, sound people-to become
again homeless wanderers in our streets?
A permanent Federal program Of tree
windbreak planting and other measures
Of sound land use will 60 far toward
the stabilization Of farming and home
life in this vitality important agricultural
region.