FORESTRY. 435 



forces of the world? When shall we learn the proi^er relationship 

 of one part to another in the arrangements of nature ? How can we 

 have the blessings of a fertile and fruitful country without the 

 agency of trees ? 



DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY. 



Sixth— The distribution of electric fluids in the air. The subject 

 of electricity is a mysterious question that we cannot fully under- 

 stand. Yet we know that the vast treeless plains of our continent 

 are frequently visited with those destructive inflences and the deadly 

 lightning bolt. Every limb and tw^ig and leaf is a silent conductor 

 of electricity. The great prairies of the West are annually visited 

 by these alarming displays of nature to their serious loss and the 

 discomfiture of the people. In tree-growing regions these diplays 

 are less frequent and less severe. Our advice, therefore, is to plan 

 trees around your dwellings, to ward off the influence of destructive 

 lightning. 



SHADE. 



Seventh — Trees furnish a friendly shade and cooling breezes for 

 the farmer's children and his cattle. As we have already anticipa- 

 ted this item to some extent, we will here simply say that for this 

 use alone trees will pay far more than they cost. Is it nothing to 

 you that your children have not the cooling shade of the spreading 

 elm tree or the more emblematic maple, under whose spreading 

 branches to enjoy their healthful sports at midday in the height of 

 our heated season? Is it nothing to you that your cattle of pure 

 blood, your horses of noble ancestry, and your sheep of finest clip, 

 are left out standing in the melting heat in a friendly fence corner, 

 and without the grateful shade of one spreading branch over their 

 defenceless heads? Oh, I know you count your interests better than 

 this, and though you would not for j'our children, yet for your 

 horses, cattle and sheep you will provide the gratefitl shade that 

 blesses them in the burning noonday. Plant trees! 



TIMBER. 



Eighth — Trees supply timber, poles, and brush for the use of the 

 farm. Oh, you saj^, this is a glaring statement. It will take years 

 upon years after I am old to grow timber, etc., for the uses of the 

 farm from these trees, and we will never see any benefit from the 

 trees we plant! We know frona our own experience that trees plant- 

 ed on good soil and doing well for ten years will come into consid- 

 erable usefulness, especially for poles and brush for the farm. In 

 passing through the southern part of this county last fall with 

 Hon. Mr. Shannon, of Granite Falls, we v^rere amazed at the size and 

 beauty of their fine trees planted on the roadside and in the field. 

 These trees, mostly our Cottonwood, maple, elm, box elder, and 

 sugar maples, could not have been planted many years, and yet 

 they were large, fine-spreading, handsome trees, and an ornament to 

 any country. Be not, therefore, so easily discouraged. Kind nature 

 is generous of any assistance given her, and what can be done in 

 this county can also be done in any county in the state. Plant trees. 



