ARTIFICIAL FORESTS OF EUROPE 



forests might be made perpetual, and 

 so might furnish a constant supply of 

 useful material; that they economized 

 and regulated the flow of mountain 

 streams, which are always of great 

 importance to the agricultural lands of 

 subjacent regions; that they held in 

 place the loose soil of the slopes, thus 

 averting avalanches and ruinous floods ; 

 that they broke the force of the winds, 

 tempered and purified the air, and I 

 may add, inspired man with better and 

 happier thoughts. 



For these reasons the people of Eu- 

 rope determined to guard their forests 

 well, and to aid nature, if possible, in 

 becoming still more useful to man. 

 To this end they made a careful study 

 of the life history of the forest, and 

 investigated the requirements of the 

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