Feb, 26-—Even the most casual glance at the
any observer who has a love for trees; for he will find them being slaughtered, loft right and centre, wherever he goes: willows by the creekside, shade-trees by the farmyard, and even the almost sacred Ginkgo of the temple compounds—all are falling to the axe, The only. reason for this wholesale slaughtor.is contained in the one word "poverty"...which stalks the countryside as a_ grim reminder that war has assed this way. The Chinese have always been rear respecters of trees, and T have often admired the staunch loyally of poverty-stricken villagers who have spared trees for what must be mainly reasons of sentiment: respect for ancestors which has made the trees surround. Ing gravemounds immune: respect for the gods which has done the same for the temple trees the laws of "Jong-shui"—so dimeult to understand—which often save the trees around home-leads: for trees are closely associated with the ady of earth and alr controlling all things, physical. Livery tree, according to some of the Ancient philosophers, has ils own particular Fesldent god, and notice must be given to the neighbours when a tree ly to be felled, so that all may slay indoors to escape the wrath of the homeless god—until he finds another roost. By means of simple tales and legends such as these the trees have remained safe for genorations: now comes poverty resulting from dis. astrous war—and they are being destroyed and sold for making chareoat at something less than one shilling and sixpence per hundred eaities, It ig a grim thought that, generations ago, the forests of Europe were destroyed be. cause charcoal was wanted for the smelting of Iron: iron becomes steel: steel makes weapons of war: war begets poverty: and poverty is ow once more demanding trees for charcoal. Can any educationalists help, 1 wonder?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.