HARDWOOD RECORD 



pastures, which the trees do not prohibit. 

 It is only on account of flooding, or the rocky 

 nature of the land, and other features ren- 

 dering it unsuitable for cultivation, that they 

 have been permitted to assert themselves. 



Hence why should they be cut down! Why 

 should their owners, like the improvident 

 Esau of old, be permitted to sell their un- 

 earned inheritance for a mess of pottage? 

 What is the use of all this talk about silvi- 

 culture, arboriculture, afforestation, and all 

 subjects relating to the planting of trees or 

 the restoration and creation of forests, if on 

 the other hand the young and undeveloped, 

 though thrifty trees, that have cost nothing, 

 a handsome gift of Nature, are allowed to 

 be all cut down and ruthlessly destroyed? 

 How grossly absurd, and inconsistent is such 

 a proposition. What is the use of making 

 a mockery out of the whole subject of for- 

 estry, by strenuously advocating economy in 

 cutting timber, and the care of young trees 

 in certain localities, and at the same time 

 allowing them to be wilfully slaughtered in 

 other places where they are just as much 

 needed ? 



All the farmers in the great Mississippi 

 valley should have some legal restrictions 

 placed u[ion them, as to the cutting of walnut 



trees under certain sizes and conditions, even 

 on llieir own grounds, and laws should be 

 enacted governing these matters, with pen- 

 alties fixed for the violation of same. The 

 walnut, above all other species of tree, should 

 be preserved and perpetuated in as great 

 numbers as possible, for there is no other 

 kind of timber that so completely fills all 

 the requirements and uses for which wood 

 has been applied. If Aladdin, through his 

 magic lamp should cause his genii to appear 

 and suddenly transformed into walnut every 

 forest tree, and there was no other kind of 

 timber left on earth, still there would be no 

 serious interruption of any one of the vast 

 multitude of avocations in the line of wood- 

 craft ! There is no other timber that could 

 so perfectly be substituted for all. It is 

 quick to grow, long lived and durable, orna- 

 mental in the open and majestic in the forest, 

 produces an edible fruit, and is not attractive 

 to insect pests. For centuries it has stood 

 highest in the estimation of man, and many 

 pretty legends are associated with its history. 

 As to its very superior qualities as a com- 

 mercial wood, there is no question, and I 

 hope an interest will be aroused in its behalf 

 that will prevent its utter destruction, or 

 even a further diminution of the present sup- 

 ply of this wood. .). V. Hamilton. 



A Land of Desolation, 



The Hardwood Kecord is plejused to give 

 space to the following interesting article, 

 written by Frank Spangler of Toledo, Ohio, 

 which is a strong argument, if another be 

 needed, for the immeiliate necessity for this 

 lountry's taking up in a logical way the re- 

 forestry problem: 



I invite you to visit in imagination a coun- 

 try which serves as an example of what this 

 one may expect unless early legislation is 

 brought about to reforest cutover lands, regu- 

 late th<' cut of timber and i>riitoct it from 

 fires. 



Dalmatia, now a part of the Austro-Hun- 

 garian monarchy, located on the eastern 

 shore of the Adriatic Sea, was once one of 

 the richest provinces of the Roman Empire 

 and a favorite resort of the wealthy aristoc- 

 racy. During the reign of Emperor Diocle- 

 tian he had an immense palace there and the 

 country supported a large population. The 

 soil was fertile, the upland gras.-! fattened 

 herds of cattle and goats for the city mar- 

 kets, and, altogether, the Dalmatians were 

 a prosperous and happy people. 



Later this land fell into the hands of the 

 conquering Republic of Venice, then the domi- 

 nant commercial power of the world. The 

 greedy Venetians ruthlessly stripped the trees 

 from the fine mountain slopes to build ships 

 for their large navy. As a result the soil 

 washed away, springs and rivers dried up, 

 and now it is a land of desolation more dreary 

 even than Syria. We are told the attempts 

 at cultivation by the peasants are pitiful. 

 .\s far as possible they collect the rocks 

 nn.l st.iiww in [rrrat mounds on the least de- 



.f the 



thev 



.ng 



fielils, and where 

 remaining rock* 

 earth sufficient for the roots of one olive tree, 

 or oven a grape vine, it is planted. Often 

 a. whole family is compelled to live for a 

 year on the product of one olive tree! 



Dalmatia might well say to our country: 

 "As I am now, so you will be.'' Italy is 

 well on the same road to the same ruin and 

 for the same reasons. The -Apennines, once 

 heavily timbered to their summits, are now 

 practically bare. Firewood is sold in small 

 bundles at high prices. There are no wooden 

 houses, and it is necessary to employ all sorts 

 of makeshifts for the once abundant timber. 

 France went the same course for centuries, 

 and only by the most strenuous exertions and 

 enormous outlay of money has the destruction 

 of timber been partially checked by legi.-!- 

 lation, the introduction of scientific forestry, 

 and the establishment of a system of refor- 

 estation. Spain also stands forth as an awful 

 example of what happens to a country which 

 permits the reckless destruction of its for- 

 ests. When there is plenty few, if anj-, ever 

 think of the future. 



Even in my short lifetime I am seeing 

 the cfifects of all this waste. We need not ask 

 the government for an appropriation of $2.50,- 

 000 with which to make an estimate of the 

 standing timber of the United States. Most 

 of the standing timber is now in the hands of 

 individuals and large corporations, whose 

 holding are already estimated, which could 

 be reported, I know of timber holders who 

 spent as high as $1.5,000 to estimate 250,000 

 acres. This will give an idea how much the 

 department would have to speml fn estiniati' 



independently the standing timber of the 

 entire country. 



Go back with me to the woods of Maine. 

 Lumbering has left parts of that state a 

 hideous array of blackened stumps and un- 

 sightly brush. A large part of the beautiful 

 White mountains has been ruined by the re 

 morseless saw. Sections of the Appalachian 

 chain have been converted into crying wastes 

 as well. 



All are familiar with the sweeping away 

 of the pines in the east; the second act saw 

 the despoilers busy in Michigan, Wisconsin 

 and Minnesota and the final attack is now 

 being made upon the Pacific Northwest and 

 the forests of the South. The last of the 

 pine areas are going rapidly the same way, 

 though once thought to be inexhaustible. 



Legions of men, in well organized armies, 

 are engaged in conquering these forests and the 

 time will speedily come when not enough will 

 be left to sigh a mournful requiem over their 

 departed glory. The destruction of the hard 

 wood forests, left for the most part to the 

 smaller lumber interests and the settler who 

 makes clearing.^, is proceeding at a pace so 

 alarming that a competent authority estimates 

 it will be complete in twenty years. And 

 then a wood famine: then the fate of Dal 



Little Switzerland, perchid up among the 

 Alps, has taught the world some valuable 

 lessons. The first was how to get rid of 

 tyrants and establish a free denjOCTatic re- 

 public that for centuries has Wd deffaucc 

 to all greedy conquerors. While France and 

 Italy, nearby, were destroying their forests 

 and with them their national life and pros- 

 perity, Switzerland «-as taking good care of 

 her natural resources. Over one thousand 

 years ago she possessed a forest system, and 

 the fifteenth century developed scientific for- 

 estry. She is perhaps the best governed 

 country in the world and her people, though 

 mostl.y poor or of limited means, seem the 

 most contented and happy to be found any 

 «here. The beantiful scenery an.d magnifi- 

 cent mountains, limpid streams and salubri- 

 ous climate draw great hosts of tourists every 

 year, leaving behind them an amount of money 

 that adds greatly to the revenues of the 

 government ami pocketbooks of the peasantry. 

 Had the forests been destroyed centuries 

 ago, as in Syria and Dalmatia, Switzerland 

 would now be a desolate waste. 



There is not a farmer or land owner be- 

 tween the oceans whose future prosperity 

 is not dependent on the preservation anil 

 restoration of the forests. Not only every 

 farmer or land owner, but every citizen, every 

 voter, should be interested in this movement. 

 The timber still standing on the farms and 

 along the waterways should be carefully 

 guarded and husbanded and the planting and 

 replanting of trees, to take the place of those 

 destroyed, should be the fixed policy of every 

 land owner. This is a young country and 

 may learn from the older the sad lessons 

 that like causes produce like effects. 



Much more may be said on this subject, 

 .nnd sl:ilistics can be had that are nstoiiisli- 



