MEN OF THE TREES 



Outside the forest reserves it is very important that 

 all land-owners should give heed to the rapid disappear- 

 ance of forest trees in the neighbourhood of their farms 

 and should do their part, in however small a way, to 

 offset the scarcity of trees. There are few farms without 

 some corner where crops cannot be raised, but which is 

 most suitable for trees, whether ravine or untillable 

 land. 



In Kenya particularly a comparatively early return 

 could be realized. Then too, the planter could reap the 

 benefit in the form of conservation of rainfall, and 

 could indirectly assist his other crops, be they coffee or 

 grain. 



If the forests in any part of Africa are allowed to be 

 permanently destroyed, a bitter reckoning will have to 

 be faced. Already in some parts of the Native Reserves 

 there is a fuel famine. 



The subject must be approached from a scientific 

 standpoint and advantage taken of the lessons learnt by 

 others. It is true that there are many very excellent For- 

 esters whose only school has been the lonely woodlands, 

 but their ability is, nevertheless, the result of observa- 

 tion — an unconscious scientific study. It is equally true 

 that without knowledge of local conditions any amount 

 of scientific training cannot be well applied. Unlike the 

 agricultural crop, which, if a failure, can be replaced 

 the next year by something else, the forest crop has to 

 stand for many years, and its speedy renewal becomes 



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