Feb. 8, 1908 .1 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Water and trees must exist in every country that 
is decent to live in. 
“One-fourth of Germany is a forest; the value 
of the German forests is at least $1,500,000,000. 
Many cities and villages in Germany own their 
own forests from which they get all the wood 
used by the people of the village, and enough 
more to pay all their taxes. An acre of waste 
land worth not more than $5, planted with 1,600 
pine seedlings, at an expense of $7 per acre, 
making a total value of $12, would yield a pro¬ 
duct by the necessary thinnings, of $i,ooo. When 
the remaining trees were fifty years old they 
would yield on the stump a product worth $1,000. 
At that time there would be at least 40,000 feet 
left standing on the acre, making a total product 
in fifty years worth $2,000 on an investment of 
$12. It costs France, because of conditions there, 
much erosion of lands, $34 per acre to reforest; 
yet it must be done. We can reforest at the 
present time much of our denuded lands in the 
Adirondacks for about $6.50 per acre. Canada 
has begun reforestation. Ohio furnishes seed¬ 
ling trees to her citizens free, and plants them, 
the owner paying for transportation and cost of 
labor only. Connecticut furnishes trees at cost. 
Kansas furnishes trees free. 
“If to-night, through some destructive power 
in nature, every tree and shrub in the State of 
New York should be swept from the face of 
the State, what would be the condition to-mor¬ 
row? It requires no great stretch of the imagi¬ 
nation to instantly comprehend the dire result. 
The home and breeding place of every bird vfrould 
be destroyed. The home and breeding place of 
every game animal would be destroyed. Not 
only the source of every stream, but the whole 
stream bed would be uncovered of its forest 
growth. The humus underneath the trees as it 
exists to-day would be destroyed. Every ob¬ 
struction and hindrance to the rapid flow of the 
.vater as it falls from the clouds would be swept 
‘way. In flood time “there would be raging, de¬ 
structive torrents, strewing wreckage of de- 
-troyed property, bridges and buildings along the 
lats. The water would soon recede and run 
iway, and the springs, rivulets, creeks and rivers 
vould be dry. Property throughout the State 
vould be decreased in value to-morrow morning 
io per cent. The meadows and pastures would 
Iry out next season at the time when conditions 
ieing properly balanced they should afford splen- 
!id hay crops and fine pastures. The total 
mount of milk, cream, butter and cheese pro- 
luced in the State would shrink 50 per cent, 
n fact, the injury would be so great to the State 
hat the people of this splendid Commonwealth 
vould be appalled, and all because of the destruc- 
ion of the woodlands of the State. 
Can it be said that this is too vivid a picture 
f that which would follow? Is it not true, and 
/ould it not as surely happen, as it is that, by 
ie revolution of the earth, if it is a clear day 
,e will see the sun to-morrow? And yet this 
ery thing is more than gradually transpiring 
very day. 
The department is trying with great earnest- 
ess and incessantly to do all that lies in its 
ower to protect, to reforest, and to impress upon 
very person in the State the great danger that 
ow confronts us in this respect. But the de- 
artment alone cannot do all that should be done. 
must have the hearty co-operation and intelli- 
mt assistance of every member of the Legisla¬ 
ture, and of all the people who have a desire for 
the prosperity and progress of the people of the 
State, it must have the help of all persons who 
are patriotic, and are proud of the State in which 
they live. It takes time to rear a forest of com¬ 
mercial value. Already too much time has been 
thrown away. The work must begin generally 
all over the State now; and this Legislature must 
make the first start. It must make the com 
mencement by providing all the money that is 
necessary to establish immediately tree nurseries 
in proper places in which to raise seedling trees 
for distribution to all who will plant them under 
proper conditions and the supervision of the de¬ 
partment. These should be distributed for ac¬ 
tual cost, or better yet, if it may be done free 
of cost.” 
Mr. Whipple then appealed to the Legislature 
to enact plain, workable laws which his depart¬ 
ment may enforce. He urged the inclusion of 
“a hunting license law for both residents and 
nonresidents, because in no other way can the 
nonresident license be collected. In no other 
way can we protect the millions of birds that 
are protectors of the forests, the trees and the 
farms, and which should be protected from being 
slaughtered by a hundred thousand nonresi¬ 
dents.” This would enable the doubling of the 
force of protectors. The city of Albany is pro¬ 
tected by 180 policemen; the forests of the State 
by only 75 men. 
“The Catskill Mountains,” he continued, “form 
the great divide between the Hudson and the 
Susquehanna, Schoharie and Delaware valleys. 
A few hours only are required to reach the Cat- 
skill country from New York city. There are 
lakes like Mohonk—Gems hem’nd round by 
rocks “ancient as the sun”-—deep forests hiding 
trout brooks, the paradise of anglers, valleys as 
fair as the vale of Cashmere, mountain peaks 
that frown as darkly as when Rip Van Winkle 
slept his long sleep. It is a health resort and 
playground worthy of any people, more easily 
accessible than any other. 
“If we cast aside the commercial feature of 
it, perfected, reforested and protected the Adi¬ 
rondack and Catskill forests, kept for a health 
resort and a playground only, will reward us for 
all of our labor and money expended. 
“All things considered, the Adirondack forest 
is the finest park ground and forest preserve in 
the known world. Its close proximity to great 
centers of population, its exact right altitude, 
its fifty tree-crowned peaks, its thousand lakes 
and ponds, its hundred rivers, its beautiful val¬ 
leys, grottoes, gorges and dells make it at once 
the most beautiful, restful and picturesque coun¬ 
try in the world. There are fish to catch, deer 
to hunt, beaver, elk and moose to see, canoe trips 
to take, beautiful places to camp, and the song 
of the hermit thrush to hear. 
“All of the 8,000,000 people in the State of 
New York could reach this beautiful country 
from their homes in twelve hours if they so de¬ 
sired; 8,000,000 more can reach it in an equal 
length of time. It is a magnificent heritage, 
created by the Maker of the universe, left us by 
our forefathers. We should preserve it, restore 
it, and protect it for ourselves and future genera¬ 
tions.” 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer to 
supply you regularly. 
2 1 7 
My Friend the Partridge. 
(Concluded from page 175.) 
I was out one day with a farmer friend who 
often accompanied me, appearing to fully enjoy 
the sport, but I had not been able to make him 
take his gun along as he had never shot at a 
flying bird and knew that he could not do it. 
ihis day he saw a partridge perched upon the 
top of a stone wall and then he wanted the old 
gun. This was my opportunity. I improved it 
to the extent of obtaining a promise that he 
would clean up the old fusee and take it along 
in case another such chance should offer. When 
we returned to the house for dinner the first 
move he made was to take the old gun from the 
hooks over the fireplace and swab it out; then 
loading it with a light charge of powder he fired 
it off and pronounced it in good working order. 
I hen at his request I loaded it for partridges, 
and after dinner we again took to the woods. 
It was with no small amount of amusement 
that I watched his performance as we went to¬ 
ward the cover, for he was evidently trying to 
get into gear by practicing all the maneuvers he 
thought necessary to success when the supreme 
moment should come, for as I rightly conjec¬ 
tured he had fully decided to try a bird .flying. 
1 he manner in which he manipulated that old 
relic of by-gone times was a revelation to me, 
although I had had a large and varied experi¬ 
ence in this line. His tactics went beyond any¬ 
thing I had ever witnessed. His first effort was 
in the right direction, for he attempted to bring 
• the gun to his shoulder in proper position as 
quickly as possible. After some little practice 
he was apparently satisfied with the result, for 
he stepped up to a bank and gave it a vigorous 
kick, and as the imaginary bird rose, he braced 
himself and swinging the old gun into position 
he shut both eyes and made believe pull. He 
did not appear to be satisfied, for he shook his 
head in a deprecatory manner, when I remarked 
that he had pulled too quick. “Yes,” said he, 
“and I shot four feet over her.” 
After he had made a few more trials he ap¬ 
peared to be getting on to them, for a satisfac¬ 
tory look came over his countenance as he re¬ 
marked that he was “kinder getting used to it,” 
and we started for the cover. We had not gone 
far, when a bird flushed wild and I marked it 
down in a little thicket near the edge of the 
woods where the dog soon found it. Taking 
position on a little knoll that covered the line 
the bird would take, I bade my companion go 
around the thicket and then go in and beat the 
bird up and “smash her,” which was his favorite 
expression to me under like circumstances. 
Now, my friend was rather a small wiry in¬ 
dividual with nothing Apollo-like or striking 
in his usual appearance, but you should have 
seen him there as with head well -up, shoulders 
drawn back, with the stride and bearing of an 
athlete, he marched to the fray. I could plainly 
see that he had a good grip on the old gun, but 
I did not quite like the way it wobbled, and I 
gave my undivided attention to the performance, 
for I was deeply interested. Although I had 
mentally wound up the matter in three or four 
different ways, I still had lingering doubts as to 
the sequel. 
I had not long to wait, for he was soon at 
the far side, and as h e entered the thicket, the 
bird rose to one side and partly behind him, when 
i 
