312 ARBOR DAY 



Valley alone. All Europe possesses not a single 

 native walnut tree. (The so-called English walnut 

 is of Asiatic origin.) We have nine varieties of 

 hickory and two of walnut proper. You may 

 search all the world over in vain to find a sort of 

 timber which, in general usefulness, can rival our 

 hickory tree. Our walnut and oak varieties alone 

 outnumber all the varieties of trees native to France 

 and Spain. 



A benign nature has lavishly provided for this 

 country; but does that give us a right to waste these 

 blessings, destined for the human race of all future 

 ages, within the short life of a few generations, like 

 spendthrifts? Shall we adopt the most detestable 

 motto of a modern Sardanapalus, "Afrts nous le 

 deluge" anticipate every thing, and leave nothing 

 for those who will come after us? Will America's 

 pride bear the humiliating prospect of having the 

 immense work of culture, which so far has been 

 achieved in this country by the most intelligent, 

 independent, progressive, and energetic of all nations, 

 frustrated by the unavoidable consequences of our 

 greedy mismanagement of the natural resources of 

 our country ? Shall the future of this great republic 

 be made uncertain by a gradual deterioration of soil 

 and climate, or shall it forever remain the happy and 

 comfortable home of the free? Is not the care for 

 future generations one of the most solemn duties 

 imposed upon us by laws of humanity and morality ? 



