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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



(Pyms ioensis) and the thorns. Crataegus coccinea. 

 molle, crus-galli, etc. They are so floriferous as to 

 appear almost like large herbaceous plants. It is 

 common to find a glade in the woodland with a solid 

 border of crabs and haws. There are often fine speci- 

 mens of individual haws scattered in the open area. When 

 in full bloom the effect is very commanding and you 

 feci as if some person had a hand in such a deliberate 

 arrangement. Sometimes you will find in this region 

 what might be called islands of trees. They may be from 

 one to three acres in extent, consisting of an inpenetrable 

 border of interlaced crabs and tliorns with a central por- 

 tion of taller trees. All of these materials have been 

 widely used in landscape work. 



It is hardly expected that many people will set aside 

 tracts for the preservation of wild flowers, but we do hope 

 that the growing interest in forestry will bring about that 

 desirable condition. 



Many wild flowers once plentiful are now very scarce. 

 The people should give intelligent support to the preser- 

 vation of desirable areas .so that utility shall not wipe 

 away from the prairie all of its beauties. 



WHAT IS FORESTRY ALL ABOUT? 



BY THE OBSERVANT STENOGRAPHER 



{Continued frotn page 688) 



make the conversations I hear in the office. One man 

 says this, another that. They talk about developments 

 and needs and conditions, and give me information, but 

 nowhere do I seem to get anything to fill me with a proper 

 crusader's zeal or make me feel that the forestry prob- 

 lem is my problem. Perhaps this is why neighbors do not 

 discuss the subject with neighbors, or Mr. and Mrs. Aver- 

 age Citizen fret over the depletion and neglect of the 

 forests. But this is not surprising since no reform move- 

 ment I can think of, except prohibition, and no subject 

 of national importance, save war and baseball, seem ever 

 to have more than a minority hearing. Dr. Frank Crane 

 recently said he was curious to know why people were 

 interested in legislation for the future, when they would 

 soon be dead. So it is with forestry. Put a tax on our 

 ice cream soda, and we rise to object, but tell us our fu- 

 ture timber supply is at stake, and we say "how come," 

 and go down to the movies. 



So while there is much I cannot expect to understand 

 about this forestry business, and many things difficult to 

 reconcile, I'm going to write down as my lesson up to 

 date what I've gathered from here and there and particu- 

 larly my version of what a forester has told me. On one 

 point it is agreed that the first* great principle and the 

 foundation of all else is protection of the forests from 

 fire. In this, every single individual who escapes from the 

 confines of brick and stone and lights a fire in anything 

 more dangerous than the kitchen stove should be made to 

 help, the penalty for digression to be roasting in any grass, 

 brush, or forest fire he starts. 



With forest fires controlled, if the wise legislators, for- 

 esters, timber owners and dear public ever learn how, 

 we should encourage new forests to grow up naturally 

 where they have been cut or burned, giving them such 

 help as we can. Then as fast and as far as practical 

 the foresters should apply their art so as to make better 

 trees and more of them. Some day they may even be 

 given money to plant trees where the land is waste. In 

 short, as Professor Roth told us in a recent article, we 

 should keep every acre of forest land covered with grow- 

 ing timber. Well, why don't we ? 



We can save at the other end, too, by using all of a 

 tree after we cut it down, and making every stick serve 

 a useful purpose. Careful selection for the use intended 

 and treatment against decay where necessary, will make 

 the supply go much farther. 



There are a lot of other things, including some sane 

 legislation and cordial cooperation, but these are for the 

 foresters and lumbermen to work out. They must get 

 together before the public can be expected to back them 

 up or pay the bill. As long as one group of foresters 

 says : "We must have a forest policy which absolutely 

 prohibits the cutting of timber save under government 

 control," and another group sides with the lumbermen 

 and says : "Our constitutional rights prevent interference 

 with our private property, and anyway the cut-over lands 

 will reforest themselves if fire is kept out," you cannot 

 expect the outsider to take much interest. People don't 

 care much for this "you're a liar" business. 



When we can be told clearly "what it is all about," 

 and made to feel that a forest policy is a vital, urgent ne- 

 cessity for our national well-being because those who 

 know agree as to what we need and why, I'll be one of 

 many to feel like going out and preaching from a soap 

 box to the multitudes, or to even write to my congress- 

 man; but just now I'm luke-warm, and listening. 



My Friends, tne Trees 



The oak is King of the forest; 



The birch is his Queen. 

 The pine is a sturdy squire 



In garment di green. 



Pear and apple are peasants, 

 Gnarled, old growers of fruit; 



And the poplar is a gentleman 

 From nodding head to root. 



The aspen is an actress 



Who flirts with every breeze. 

 There are all sorts of characters 



Among my friends, the trees. 



Julian M. Drachman. 



