The Conservative *
THE TWO MONKS.
[ By A. A. Bragdon. ]
A worthy monk , as ancient legends say ,
Planted , with carp , a tender tree one day ,
Thinking with joy how it would grow anon.
And yield him profit from thn fruit thereon.
Pleased with his task , upon the spot he bowed ,
And to himself with pious pride ho vowed :
"Now I will pray each day , and God will give
Whato'er I nsk to make the sapling live. "
And to his credit bo it written now ,
Not even once did he forget his vow ,
But morn and eve he came to view the tree ,
And asked for what ho snw its needs to be.
He prayed for rain , and gentle showers fell ;
Ho prayed for sun , and sunshine came as well ;
And when ho asked for dew.there came the dew ;
For winds to blow , then grateful breezes blow.
For storm to strengthen , or for heat or cold ,
Whato'er ho craved , not once did God withhold ;
And yet in vain the selfish plan he tried :
For all his prayers.the sapling drooped and died.
Another monk his tree had planted , too ,
And day by day its spreading branches grew
Above the way , to shelter as they pass
God's weary children going up to mass ;
And travelers oft aside their burdens laid ,
Sat there and rested in its peaceful shade.
One day they met among the shadows there.
Just as the convent bell had called to prayer.
"Now tell me , Brother John , " the first monk
said ,
"Why your tree thrives , while mine , alas ! is
dead ?
I pruned it well and tended it with care ,
And twice each each day I told its needs in
prayer. "
The other monk in meekness bowed his head ,
While with sweet humility he said :
"My simple mind could not presume to know
Just what was best to make a sapling grow ,
And so I put it in God's care , and left the rest
To Him who made the tree , and knows the best.
I never asked for sun or rain or frost ,
I only prayed : 'Give what it needeth most. ' "
The High School
HIGH SCHOOL Register for March
DEBATES. takes exceptions to
THE CONSERVA
TIVE'S criticisms of certain high school
debates which transpired hereabouts
during the last year. Nevertheless ,
THE CONSERVATIVE still holds that the
discussion of questions of vital impor
tance to the welfare of the race by cal
low youth who have never investigated
the questions at all , except by looking
into encyclopedias and other books of
reference , is not the best method of de
veloping thoroughness in the logical
faculty.
The Register says :
"A visit to the libraries at the time
when a debate is being prepared will
convince this critic that his remarks
are unjust. "
That sentence proves all that THE
CONSERVATIVE asserted. By the con
fession of the Register , the boys simply
post themselves for the occasion. THE
CONSERVATIVE was led to the remarks
that it made because several of the de
baters called at its office to got pointers
from books of reference , and othei
sources , relative to questions then being
discussed.
"Whether United States senators
should be elected by legislatures , or by
ho people , was under discussion. One
of the debaters asserted that during the
asfc session of congress a law providing
for the election of senators by the peo-
) le had passed the House of Represon-
atives and been defeated by the Senate.
Ho was quite certain of it. Evidently
hat debater had never read the Gonsti-
jution ! [ See Article I , Sections. ]
Thus it occurred to THE CONSERV
ATIVE that instead of pupils of the
ligh school traveling from one town to
another for the purpose of debating
questions which have for generations
puzzled the experienced minds of
statesmen on both sides of the Atlantic ,
hey hnd better be studiously at work
mdeavoring to master arithmetic , geography
graphy , English grammar , and the art
of correctly reading aloud the English
anguage.
TREE GROWTH IN NEBRASKA.
The Division of Forestry of the U. S.
Department of Agriculture has decided
; o make a thorough examination , during
; he coming summer , of tree growth
n the State of Nebraska. The object of
this examination is to determine if for
est production on a large scale is possi
ble in this region. Throughout the
greater part of Nebraska there is but a
sparse timber growth , while portions of
the state are practically treeless. From
the results of the proposed investiga
tions the Division of Forestry hopes to
devise means for improving and extend
ing the present forest growth , and , in
the case of the treeless regions , to for
mulate a plan of tree planting whereby
the waste lands may be reclaimed. The
best methods of tree culture will be
considered and a careful study will be
made of climate , soil , and the natural
enemies of trees in this region.
For several years past the Division of
Forestry , through its section of tree
planting , has been investigating the
forest growth in several of the middle
western states. The agents selected
for the work to be done in Nebraska
this summer are men who have a prac
tical knowledge of the existing condi
tions , and are well fitted for the task of
making an exhaustive study of tb re
gion. The results obtained from this
tour of investigation will be of value to
several of the neighboring states , for in
Kansas , South Dakota , and portions of
eastern Colorado and Wyoming much
the same conditions exist.
The valley of the Platte river , from
Plattsmouth to Kearney , and the entire
western half of the state , will constitute
the field of investigation. About May
1 , two representatives of the Division
will begin work at Plattsmouth and go
xip the river examining and classifying
the growth of trees. Especial attention
will bo paid to the distribution o :
species , and to all efforts to cultivate
considerable bodies of timber. In the
nvcstigation of tree-planting oxpori-
nonts the failures as well as the suc
cesses will bo noted , for it is desirable to
obtain all possible information on the
subject.
It is expected that Kearney will bo
cached before July 1. At this point
ho party will be increased to six mem-
jers and will bo equipped with a com
pete camp outfit and saddle horses.
The following four months will be
spent in work that will practically
over the western half of the state.
The line of travel will be from Kearney
: o the western boundary of the state ,
along the Platte , thence northeast to
Drawford , and then in a general south
easterly direction through the sand
lills , and down the Middle Loup River
; o Loup City.
A wide strip of territory can bo
studied on each side of the route , as
; he party will be mounted , and particu-
ar attention is to bo given to the dis-
; ribution and reproduction of the yellow
pine. Nebraska is the meeting ground
of the plains and mountain floras , and
'or this reason much valuable and inter-
sting information is likely to be ob
tained. Cooperation by the people along
; he route to be taken by the government
party will greatly faoilitato the work.
The Division of Forestry has received
sufficient encouragement from work
already done in Nebraska to warrant
the thorough examination that is to be
made this summer. The fact that many
tree growers in the state are already
realizing substantial profits from planted
timber is noteworthy. A number of
men who have had wide experience in
dealing with the problem of forestry in
Nebraska have written to the Division of
Forestry stating that there is no doubt
in their minds of the possibility of in
creasing the present scant growth of
trees , and agreeing that even the sand
hills can be forested. Among those who
have expressed such an opinion are Ex-
Secretary of Agriculture , J. Sterling
Morton ; Prof. Charles E. Bessey , of the
University of Nebraska ; O. S. Harrison ,
President of the Nebraska Park and
Forest Association ; and E. F. Stephens.
The rapid spread of interest in forestry
will soon bring landowners to realize
that timber may be considered as truly
an agricultural crop as wheat or corn.
With the Division of Forestry investi
gating the best methods of tree culture
and offering its advice and assistance to
landowners interested in tree-planting ,
there is reason to believe that in the
near future much headway will be made
in bringing about a reasonable forest
growth on lands now almost treeless.
The work outlined by the division ,
looking to the improvement of the Ne
braska forests , should attract general
attention , considering that throughout
this region forest products are in con
stant demand , commanding high prices
and presenting a profitable field for the
