crumley] FORESTRY FROM TWO VIEWPOINTS 147 



in diameter, the other received forty-five dollars for logs of the 

 same size, both first grade logs and sold to the same man. 



Six years ago a certain land owner in Ohio had a steep hill- 

 side which was fertile, and covered with a dense stand of walnut 

 trees ten inches in diameter with trunks thirty to fifty feet 

 long. He desired to plant strawberries in the rich soil where 

 these trees stood, and gave the trees to a neighbor for taking 

 them < off the ground. The plot is today abandonded and given 

 over to gullies and a few briers and weeds and is an eyesore to 

 the farm. 



A little attention, a little care exercised in discriminating, 

 a few items of information about the habits and requirements of 

 some of our most common trees, would save thousands of dollars 

 annually to the land owners of our state (Ohio). 



Much has been said and written during the last few years 

 about the study of literature. It seems to me that if we expect 

 to understand, appreciate and enjoy our American authors we 

 must have a good acquaintance with the trees. Nearly all of 

 these authors lived very close to nature and frequently mention 

 trees or something connected with them. 



Hundreds of illustrations could be found in support of this 

 statement. The following quotation is typical : 



"This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines and the 



hemlocks, 

 Bearded with moss and in garlands green, indistinct in the 



twilight, 

 Stand like Druids of old, with voices sad and prophetic " 



Why did the author say murmuring pines? Would it have 

 been just as fitting for him to have said murmuring oaks or 

 maples, or to have spoken of the rustling leaves in the pine 

 forest ? To appreciate this piece of literature we must have some 

 acquaintance with the pine trees or other conifers. In the in- 

 troductory nineteen lines of this poem the author mentions trees 

 ten times and frequent references are made to the forests or some 

 individual tree throughout the poem. 



Longfellow is no exception. All poets seem to have been 

 inspired when brought face to face with a majestic tree or 

 plunged into the depths of the forest. There is a certain feeling 

 of admiration, of pleasure, of awe, or of quiet repose that un- 

 consciously comes over us when we come into the presence of 



