300 



THE IRRIGATION AGE 



forests is to decrease the rainfall in that 

 section and also diminish the water sup- 

 ply, since the rain which does fall runs off 

 the hills in torrents into the valleys 

 below, if there are no trees to check it 

 and no roots and leaf mould to conserve 

 the moisture. 



This fact is now widely recognized in 

 this country, as it has long been in Euro- 

 pean countries, where in some localities 

 cutting down a tree is not allowed unless 

 another be planted in its place. For 

 years past the reckless waste of our forests 

 has made foreigner stand aghast And 

 now that a great many of our great timber 

 districts have been destroyed, we are be- 

 ginning to realize how prodigal we have 

 been and are striving to retrieve the mis- 

 take. The Division of Forestry of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture 

 is doing much by means of the publication 

 of the results of their investigations, to 

 teach the public the value of trees. Bruns- 

 wick, Me., a place of about 7,000 inhabi- 

 tants, has recently appropriated $100 to 

 improve a tract of land by planting white 

 pine trees. The tract of land consists of 

 about 1,000 acres owned by the city, and 

 and was once covered by a pne forest. 

 For years it has been practically unproduc- 

 tive and the city proposes to follow an 

 Old World institution and have a town 

 forest. At Sewanee, Tenn., the University 

 of the South has placed its 8.000-acre 

 tract of hardwood timber near that town 

 under the management of the Division of 

 Forestry. All trees to be cut down will 

 be marked by an official of the Division, 

 while the logging contracts will be drawn 

 up by the same party and will provide for 

 the preservation of the young timber. It 

 is expected that the forest can in this way 

 be made to provide an annual revenue for 

 the college. 



More closely allied to irrigation subjects 

 is the advice of W. L Hall, assistant su- 

 perintendent of tree planting of the Divis- 

 ion of Forestry, who recommends the 

 planting of belts of trees along every 

 ditch and reservoir, not only to shade 

 them, but to shelter them from the wind 

 Prevention of evaporation is a very impor- 

 tant problem, since there is not only a 

 waste of water but there is danger of the 

 pands becoming alkaline. 



Country vs. 

 City. 



Putting aside all question of the utility 

 of tree-planting there still remains the 

 ornamental aspect, which in itself should 

 be strong enough to induce people to set 

 out trees. What adds more to the beauty 

 of a street or yard than a row of noble 

 trees ? What is more majestic than a 

 great oak or maple tree? One looks upon 

 its mighty trunk which has grown slowly 

 year by year, and has a feeling almost of 

 veneration for the great silent giant who 

 has outlived generations of men, and with- 

 in -vhose span of life whole histories are 

 compassed. 



The profound thinkers who 

 are wrestling with the 

 many economic questions 

 of this great nation view with dismay the 

 rush of young men to the city. As the 

 cities become more and more congested 

 the modest village homes and small farms 

 are given up and we are in danger of be- 

 coming a nation of renters in our eager 

 race after the almighty dollar. The man 

 who is a failure in the country thinks that 

 perhaps he can achieve success in the 

 city where so m&ny more opportunities 

 are open to him, but he often finds that 

 he is only one of a numerous throng of 

 "failures" in the city ; that he is. in fact, a 

 "nobody" there unnoticed and uncared 

 for. David Starr Jordan, president of 

 the Stanford University, gave this advice 

 to farmers' sons : "You have your own life 

 to make. In the country you are sure of 

 your ground. You will get what you de- 

 serve. While your rewards may not be 

 brilliant, your failure will not be ruinous. 

 Do not go into the city unless you are sure 

 that the city needs you If you go there 

 with nothing to give that the city cares 

 for, you will find yourself cast aside 



Learn to do something well. It will 

 make a man of you, and wherever he 

 goes a man will find that he is needed.'' 



In his article entitled "The Bush to the 

 Cities" Mr. Jordan says: "Steadiness of 

 national character goes with firmness of 

 foothold on the soil. ***** Be- 

 cause the life of the country is simpler 

 and more honest, it is easier for the man 

 of moderate ability to fit into it. I call it 

 more honest, because the farm life deals 

 with nature at first hand , while in the city 

 life deals with the shifting relations of 

 men." It is most apt to be the man of 

 "moderate ability" who decides to try his 

 fortune in the city, and the tenement home 

 and a hand to mouth existence is very 

 likely to be the seqtiel. 



