38 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



NEWSPAPERS ENCOURAGE FORESTRY 



QERVICE has become the big word in many news- 

 ^ paper editorial rooms throughout the country and 

 the American Forestry Assooiation, at the opening of a 

 new year, wants to be the first to extend congratulations 

 to the people of those states in whose service so many 

 newspapers have enlisted. Many exam])les come to the 

 Association of a feature of this service which means the 

 forwarding of the importance of forestry in the minds of 

 the readers. Forest products are the l^ackbonc of all 

 business. It is the furthering of this thought that has 

 become the cornerstone of the service. 



The Milwaukee Journal for example is doing a real 

 work for the state of Wisconsin. The Journal sends a 

 bulletin sheet to every newspaper in Wisconsin every 

 week. This bulletin sheet puts before the papers infor- 

 mation about the campaign for forestry and other con- 

 servation measures in their state. The bulletin is now de- 

 manded by chambers of commerce, civic clubs and wo- 

 men's organizations throughout the state. 



The Chicago Tribune makes a big feature of forestry 

 matters and is carrying on an educational campaign day 

 by day for forestry and for the planting of memorial 

 trees. 



The Courier Journal of Louisville has long raised its 

 voice for the things for which the American Forestry As- 

 sociation stands. 



The Democrat-Chronicle of Rochester, The New York 

 Evening Mail, the Boston Transcript, the New York 

 Times, the Trenton, N. J. Times but space forbids any- 

 thing like a newspaper directory, so we can but mention 

 here and there the leaders in the service of the state. One 



conspicuous example is the Pittsburg Post, another is the 

 Detroit News which has sent out a quiz sheet to ascertain 

 just what people think should be done about forestry. 

 The Grand Rapids Herald tells how a trade extension 

 tour brought to the attention of Grand Rapids business 

 men the miles upon miles of unproductive forest land 

 in the state. 



The St. Clair Republican says we have heard about 

 forests "since Hector was a pup" but are "we going to 

 continue to crucify the press of the United States upon the 

 cross of paper package goods and go back to the hammer 

 and stone chisel for education ?" Added to this the Sault 

 Ste. Marie News says "Mr. Pack speaks truly when he 

 says idle land in this country must be put to work and 

 the quicker the voice of the people is heard in this con- 

 nection the better for all concerned." The Bay City Trib- 

 une takes the view that "the present generation will not 

 see it but the next will, that is the exhaustion of the 

 standing timber of the United States. Lumber will be a 

 luxury in the next generation." 



In quoting the New York Financial Chronicle, the 

 Tawas City Herald points out that "the gospel of forestry 

 and reforestation is not a matter of times and seasons ; 

 it is for all times and all seasons." Such views from a state 

 where they know what they are talking about certainly 

 call for action such as jfche Association is campaigning for. 



So it goes all along the line. As never before the news- 

 papers are cooperating with the American Forestry As- 

 sociation and pushing the idea of forestry needs with the 

 result that the association's work is more widely known 

 and more widely encouraged and commented upon than 

 ever before in the forty years of its life. 



THE PETRIFIED FOREST 



i^NE of the greatest wonders in the geological world 

 ^-^ is the petrified forest of northern Arizona. 



This forest is in the middle of the Painted Desert 

 which received its fanciful name from the many opales- 

 cent colorings of its clays, shales and sandstones. 



The trees are of the coniferous variety. Some had at- 

 tained the height of two hundred feet ; many were over 

 one hundred feet. Diameters ranging from one to four 

 feet. Trees, and yet not trees ! For now they are won- 

 derful specimens of agate, jasper, and chalcedony in 

 the form of trees! Much of North America's scientific 

 data on archaeology, anthropology, climatology that to- 

 day are considered highly authentic has been ferreted 

 out from an exhaustive research among these fallen trees. 



Fallen and petrified. Relics of the Glacial Period, 

 when all life and vegetation bowed before the merciless 

 ice-rivers which swept down from the North. 



Scientists believe that immediately following the ice 

 flow in this western part of the continent there was a 

 volcanic eruption of lava which covered the trees, and 



aided by the action of the air, petrified and preserved 

 them. Since neither skeletal nor fossil remains have been 

 excavated in this Desert, it is safe to deduce that the oc- 

 currence itook place long before the time of man upon 

 this continent. One geologist puts it at least fifty mil- 

 lion years ago ! 



Mystery and more mystery surround these fallen mon- 

 archs. Not all their secrets have they yet divulged. 

 But like the famous Forest Bed of Gromer at Norfolk, 

 England, each year more and more important data are 

 being gleaned. Visitors to this spot experience a queer, 

 uncanny feeling. There is something forbidding at the 

 sight of so much devastation ; as forbidding as the en- 

 trance into the famous Black Forest of Germany. Yet, 

 after all, something compelling. The handiwork of High 

 Wisdom. Sly hints to those of the Present, to those who 

 have eyes to see of who and what, of who not, and 

 what not, dwelled here in the Past. 



To protect this valuable and sacred spot from the 

 overzealous curio seekers, the Government has set it 

 aside as a National Reservation. Viola M. Overman. 



