Forestry. 103 



humidity of the atmosphere, and the healthful condition of the 

 country. This should be the duty of States, but forest supplies 

 must come from a national source, and the American people must 

 look to the General Government, which controls the national 

 domain, holds the keys of the vaults of the public treasury, and is 

 responsible for this source of national wealth. To destroy the 

 forests of a country is to subjugate the people or nation to which 

 they belong. And if this land of the free and the home of the 

 brave ever becomes a Dalmatia or Istra, changed from a health- 

 ful, fruitful and salubrious climate to a sterile, sickly waste, with 

 decayed cities and crumbling greatness, the plains and valleys 

 populated by meager sheep and goats, and equally meager owners, 

 history can not say the " Romans did it." 



Man, beasts and birds love trees. Every nation, every country, 

 every town, in every age, has its historic trees. They are not with- 

 out influence on the destiny of individuals, societies and nations. 

 They are objects of reverence, works of time, homes of generations, 

 and manifest wisdom of creation. 



In them is seen the perfection of a wondrous living principle. 

 A perpetuity exceeding all other forms of life. Beginning in the 

 morning of creation and ending only with its end; — evergrowing, 

 growing, ever converting the inorganic world into another and 

 higher kingdom ; — building — building for hundreds and thousands 

 of years, they stand before us the unfinished monuments of time. 



" The century-living crow, 

 Whose birth was in the tops, grew old and died 

 Among their branches, till at last they stood, 

 As now they stand, massy, and tall, and dark : 

 Fit shrine for humble worshiper to hold 

 Communion with his Maker." 



