Canadian Forestry Journal, Januarij, 1917 



921 



narrow threads trickling through 

 broad beds. In springtime these same 

 slopes are the birthplace of raging 

 torrents which burst forth with un- 

 controllable force in the plains below, 

 inundating fertile fields and deposit- 

 ing enormous quantities of detritus 

 at undesirable places. There arc more 

 than 600 miles of artificial embank- 

 ments along the Poe river, which 

 meanders through a rich but almost 

 treeless agricultural region after 

 bursting forth from the mountains. 

 A large number of protective struc- 

 tures exist along the Adige river, 

 which flows through the center of the 

 province of Trentino in which many 

 fierce battles have recently been 

 fought. Both of the contending 

 armies have suffered severely from 

 heavy rains and spring floods. Re- 

 ports tell us that many groups of 

 soldiers have lost their lives in cross- 

 ing and recrossing this stream when 

 swollen and raging. In order to ob- 

 tain a real vivid and lasting im- 

 pression of this desolate region, one 

 should approach it from the north, 

 that is, immediately after having 

 spent some time in the intensively 

 managed and normally stocked forests 

 of central Europe. In Belgium, 

 France, Prussia, Russia and Galicia, 

 the soldiers seek shelter in woods, 

 cover their batteries with branches 

 and faggots, corduroy roads with 

 poles, line their trenches with poles 

 and props, and finish their subter- 

 ranean chambers with sawed timber. 

 The soldiers of the armies operating 

 in the Tyrolean Alps are not so for- 

 tunate. No wood is at their disposal, 

 for they are located in an almost 

 forestless region. Consequently they 

 are compelled to seek shelter amidst 

 enormous rocks which cover the slopes 

 and to drill chambers into the solid 

 rock formations which crown com- 

 manding heights. Under such con- 

 ditions the contending armies cannot 

 do much damage to the forest growth, 

 but they are certainly making the task 

 of the future reforestation more diffi- 

 cult. The present damage may not 

 be so great, but the ultimate, and in 

 many cases irreparable loss will be felt 

 by many subsequent generations. 



Itahfs Tree Assets 

 One must not conclude from the 

 foregoing description that Italy is 

 treeless. It has many valuable trees, 

 but most of them occur in orchards 

 and parks, on estates and lawns, and 

 along streets and boundary lines. 

 There are in Italy about 2,000,000 

 acres in olive groves, and 400,00 acres 

 in chestnut orchards, and thousands 

 of mulberry trees which support the 

 silkworm industry. The lemon in- 

 dustry holds a prominent place about 

 the subalpine lakes, because of the 

 superior fruit produced. An enor- 

 mous number of trees are also re- 

 quired to supply props for the vine- 

 yards which cover almost nine mil- 

 lion acres. 



The Italian government has not 

 been unmindful of the need of forest 

 conservation and restoration. Num- 

 erous protective and constructive 

 laws have been enacted, but little 

 was accomplished until about 1877. 

 Since then the land has been classi- 

 fied and protection forests have been 

 established on the higher mountain 

 slopes. Special inducements are 

 given to individuals and communities 

 who reforest mountain land. In 1902 

 it was decided to celebrate a "Feast 

 of Trees" (la festa degli ableri), copied 

 after Arbor Day of the United States. 

 On March 31, 1902, the city of Rome 

 held the first celebration in the 

 presence of the king and the queen, 

 planting about 10 acres with trees. 

 A forestry school is maintained at 

 Vallombrosa, located in the heart of 

 the Apennines, and easily visited 

 from Florence. It is surrounded by 

 magnificent forests, and far removed 

 from the whining beggars, ringing 

 bells, plaintive yells, and ofTensive 

 smells so characteristic of Italian 

 cities. 



Forests of Austria. 

 The forests of Austria, as a rule, 

 are carefully managed and well 

 stocked. The provinces bordering 

 Italy, however, are an exception to 

 this rule. They bear no evidence of 

 that careful management so charac- 

 teristic of the forests in the interior of 

 the empire. These provinces have 

 been under Austrian rule for more 

 than a century, but no traveller would 

 know it if it were not for the postage 



