Icon viewers:

I've begun reading Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, a book that changed Dad's life. You might find this paragraph interesting:

"The same thing happens in other situations. A generation or more ago, the towns of large areas of the United States lined their streets with the noble elm tree. Now the beauty they hopefully created is threatened with complete destruction as disease sweeps through the elms, carried by a beetle that would have only limited chance to build up large populations and to spread from tree to tree if the elms were only occasional trees in a richly diversified planting."

That was written in 1962, almost 50 years ago! Now the same thing happens with ash trees.

I remember thinking back when elm trees were being destroyed that it was such a shame, that nature would do this to a variety of tree. I didn't know then it was our fault -- concentrated planting. Or that the same sort of thing happens when farmers plant thousands of acres of one crop -- and we find ourselves "needing" pesticides to control insects that descend on the huge fields.

50 years later, the process continues and most of us are oblivious. History remains a class we suffer through and forget.

Shame on us.

James Pannabecker
445 Arnolds Valley Road
Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579
(540) 291-4546