i8o PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 



FOREST PROBLEMS OF FLORIDA. 



Demand of the World for Timber and How It Can be Met for Years. 



Address at Board of Trade Meeting by the Editor of Arboriculture. 



(Florida Tinv:s-Uni6n, March 5, 1893.) 



Probably there is no locality in North America which is better adapted for the 

 growth of forest trees, especially the deeper-rooted specimens, than are the sandy 

 lands of the State of Florida. Soil, climate, abundant moisture and all conditions 

 affecting wood growth are here found in that perfection, than which no other 

 region surpasses. Nature has been very bountiful in her gifts of forests to this 

 region, and would without assistance reproduce these forests, making them per- 

 petual, increasing their size and beauty, as from their own action the soil should 

 be so enriched as to provide the necessary increased nourishment. 



But man alone stands in nature's way, and with fire, the ax and boxing tools, 

 says trees no longer shall grow. 



With no other use for these barren sandy areas, man says that nature is 

 wrong; that the Almighty has made a mistake in creating the forests, and that 

 they must no longer cumber the ground. 



In no other community upon the American continent is a campaign of educa- 

 tion in regard to forests and forest influences more necessary than here in the 

 peninsular State. And what organization, or from what source, can this influenci; 

 better emanate than the Board of Trade of your leading city, aided by similar or- 

 ganizations throughout the State, and the press, which exerts so powerful an in- 

 fluence for good when directed in proper channels. 



FORESTS AFFECT FROSTS. 



For many years Florida maintained the reputation of being the best and surest 

 orange producing region in the world. In the early days a heavy belt of pine 

 timber covered the land. Here and there a small opening was cut and groves of 

 citrus fruits were planted and nursed into a profitable bearing condition. The 

 forest stood as a bulwark between the orange groves and vegetable farms of this 

 region and the north winds and the inroads of frost. But gradually the pine was 

 removed, the forest influences destroyed, and frost has succeeded frost with rap- 

 idity and severity. 



We are asked by the doubter how forests can influence frost ? how they affect 

 rainfall? how they temper the winds? and how they can control the tornado? 



