DIGEST OF OPINIONS ON FORESTRY 



789 



down six should be planted." The newspapers are find- 

 ing many good stories in the office of the state or city 

 forester since the American Forestry Association started 

 the campaign for memorial trees. 



The Dallas News is giving more and more space to the 

 value of forestry, having carried a story on "trees and 

 rainfall," by Dr. Joseph L. Cline, the weather observer 

 there, and another on the pecan as a valuable shade tree. 

 "The destruction of timber in the last half century has 

 been little short of criminal," says the Evening Journal 

 of Dallas in suggesting more attention be paid in the 

 schools "to the resources which Providence has set aside." 

 The Detroit Free Press calls attention to the shortage 

 of several valuable woods in an editorial and reminds us 

 that Ruskin called the tree the link between earth and 

 man. The Trenton (N. J.) Times has had two editorials 

 on forestry and several news stories. 



The Charlotte Observer "will not despair," it says, 

 although "it has hammered on the cross tie conservation 

 idea for years past." The Observer goes on to point out 

 the fuel value in the cross ties being burned along rail- 

 road rights of way every year. From cross ties to poetry 

 may be a long cry but the newspapers seem ever ready 

 to print anything touching the beauties of Nature and 

 there is always something about trees in that subject. 

 The Arkansas Gazette has a poem, "Song of the Pines," 

 and John D. Wells, the sweet singer of the Buffalo News, 

 pens of the "First Frost of Fall," from which we take 

 this verse : 



The first frost fell last night! It glazed the trees. 



The pavements, too, it painted snowy white; 

 The roofs and walks, as Fancy seemed to please, 



It fell upon and coated over night; 

 The town was white, with autumn's hoary sign, 



And here and there in all the world of man 

 It touched a heart and turned, as it turned mine, 



To nutting days in Mills' Grove again. 



Once more rally to the call, members of the American 

 Forestry Association. Every tree beckons to you to be- 

 come a friend a friend of action instead of an admirer 

 only. Their interests are our interests, heed the call. 



ROOSEVELT 



'Tis not alone in Flanders field 



The poppies grow; 

 To him who spent his life for us 



Comes Death's fell blow, 

 Our greatest Soldier of the Right 



Is stricken low. 



More dauntless spirit never beat 



In any breast, 

 More valiant sword was never drawn 



On any quest, 

 Now wept by all who love the land 



He sinks to rest. 



We vow that we shall wage his fight 



Upon the foe, 

 We vow that we shall keep his faith 



Because we know 

 'Tis not alone in Flanders field 



The poppies grow. 

 McLandburgh Wilson, in the New York Sun. 



TO HELP REFOREST FRANCE 



p ARRYING a sack of Douglas fir seed, Percival S. 

 ^ Ridsdale, secretary of the American Forestry Asso- 

 ciation, has arrived in France to offer the help of 

 America in reforesting the 1,500,000 acres of woodland 

 wiped out by the war in the north and east of that 

 country. 



The seed carried by Mr. Ridsdale will grow 50.000 

 trees, valued at about a million dollars, although the 

 sack in which he carried it is small enough to be fitted 

 into a traveling bag. The Douglas fir seed has been 

 asked by the French Government for experimental plant- 

 ing, as it is thought to be suitable for French soil and 

 climatic conditions. 



"This vast acreage of forest was used in trench, road 

 and barracks building or else was blasted to pieces by 

 shells," Mr. Ridsdale explained. "Almost a million 



Harris and Ewing 



A SMALL PACKAGE WITH A BIG VALUE 



Taken just before he sailed for France, this picture shows Mr. Ridsdale 

 holding the bag of Douglas Fir Seed which he carried with him. It held 

 50,000 seeds all that could be obtained in this country at this time. 



French people were dependent upon these forests for 

 their livelihood six months in the year and the French 

 Government faces a great economic problem in providing 

 them with other resources until the forests are restored. 

 "In collecting the seed wanted by France the members 

 of our association, the forestry departments of the vari- 

 ous States, the Boy Scouts and other organizations will 

 be called upon to help," he said. "A million and a quarter 

 acres of forest in the north and east of France have been 

 practically wiped out during the war and must be re- 

 placed." 



