PLANTING TREES IN ANTICIPATION OF A DEMAND FOR THE WOOD. 



inland points where nature planted the nut. How often do we see ship and other 

 timber brought from great distances by horse power, or the lumlerin// process during 

 freshets, and subjected to great injuries and losses. 



In France and Switzerland, and some other countries, government long since, with 

 paternal foresight, took this matter under consideration ; and the turnpikes and 

 canals now aiFord an abundance of timber for ship-building and other purposes, 

 distributed on the routes where it can easily be transported. As you approach the 

 latter country from Finance, over the Jura, you perceive that the roads are bordered 

 (and, of course, shaded,) with fine old trees of the English Walnut (Jiiglans regia^; 

 thousands of sacks of nuts are exported from thence, via the Mediterranean, to this 

 and other countries, forming a large source of revenue at our expense. The trees 

 and fruit are protected by law ; different customs as to ownership of the produce 

 prevail in different communities, but in all a source of wealth is evident. 



In America, our turnpikes occupy much greater width than most of those in 

 Europe ; lavish waste in this respect marks our legislation, as it does in so many 

 enterprises, public and private. It is also common to have more thoroughfares than 

 are required. Now that the charters are obtained, it is not likely that any of the 

 width will be abandoned, bu.t this can surely be usefully employed. 



It may be urged at first view, that trees on railroad borders or banks would be in 

 the way of the cars; but that it is not so is evidenced on very many embankments, 

 where, in the newly moved earth, worthless wood has sprung up from seeds of 

 neighboring trees, and is suffered to grow, sometimes having already attained a 

 merchantable size, but visurping the place of enduring materials for commerce, or 

 for the rejmir of the road itself. Sometimes the bank is so high as to extend into 

 the neighboring farmer's field; he finds it too steep to plough, but he might convert 

 it to tree culture. 



The subject is a fruitful one, and perhaps we have said enough to awaken atten- 

 tion in the proper quarters. We are all rushing ahead with railroad speed ; it is not 

 amiss to stop the cars occasionally, and look around at the nakedness of the land. 

 It cannot be forgotten by recent travellers in Germany, that in some places the very 

 near vicinity of the track of the locomotive is cultivated, by the look-out men, with 

 cabbages, &c., to eke out their scanty salaries ; and who can but remember the 

 beauty of the station-house grounds, planted and adorned with trees and flowers ? 

 The station at Brunswick, in Hanover, with its numerous beautiful specimens of 

 Sophora penclula, is worth going to see. 



Our duty, under the caption of this article, would lead us to read government a 

 lecture on the necessity of making some provision for the navy yards in the matter 

 of ship timber, and even for tar and rosin ; but we have already extended these 

 remarks beyond our original intention, by pointing out a practicable scheme of 

 economy and profit for private incorporations, from whose sagacity more may be 

 counted on than upon our ever shifting political Governors, who we have learned to 

 expect will look but little beyond their respective terms of salary and office. When 

 the time of foresight and paternal government begin ? 

 is not, however, private incorporations nor government alone, that should 



