The Cecil Whig., 1864-05-14

mer, and scared by the rlgors Of winter. -
! Bleak winds sweep unrcsisted over its sur
face, drift away the snow that sheltered il
from the frost, and dry up its scanty. mois
turc. The precipitation becomes as Ycgulal
US the temperature the melting SHOWS aud
vctnal rains, no longer absorbed by IL loose
and bibulous vegetable mould rush over the
frozen surface, and pour down the valleys
! seward instead of filling retentive bed OF
absorbant earth, and storing UP supply OF
moisture to feed perennial springs. The
soil is barred Of its covering of leaves, bro
ken aud looscncd by the pIow, deprived OF
the iibrous rootcts which held it together,
dried and pulvcrizcd by sun and wind, and
ut last exhausted by new combnatlons.- -
| The face of the earth is no longer sponge,
but dust heap, and the foods which the
waters of the sky pour over it hurry swiftly
, along its slopes, carrying in suspension vast
quantities. Of earthly particles which increase
the abrading power and mechanical force of
current, and, augmented by the sand and
gravel of falling banks, ill the beds of the
streams divert them into new channels and
oJstruct their outlets. The rivulets, want
ing their former regularity Of supply and
deprived Of the protecting shade n the
woods, are heated, craporated, and thus
reduced i'll their summer currents, but swol
len to raging torrents in autumn and in
! spring. From these causes, there is q con.
slant degradation Of the uplands, and IA con
scuucnt elevation olthc beds of watercourses
and of lakes by the deposition of the mineral
and vegetable matter carried down by the
waters. The channels of great rivers
become unnari gable, their cstGares are
chokcd up, and harbors which once shell.
| tered Large nuvics are shoaiel by dangerous
sandbars The earth stripped Of its vcse.
| table glebc, grows less and less productive,
aud consequently, less able to protect itself
! by weaving a new network Of roots to bind
its PARTICLES together, a new ca?pcting Of
turf to shield it from wind and sun and
securing ram. Gradually It becomes alto
! gctler barren. The washing of the soil
from the mogntains leaves bare ridges OF
sterile rock, aud the rich organic mould
! which covered them, now swept down into
the dank low grounds, promotes IL luXuri,
ance Of aquatic vegetation that breeds fever,
and more in,idlous forms of mortal disease,
/ BY its decay, and thus the earth is rendered
no longer fit for the habita;on Of man.
| In another place he says:
| When the forest is gone, the great
reservoir Of moisture stored up in its vcgcta-
bic mould is cvapora.ed, and returns only
in drlu9cs Of rain to wash away the parchc,,
lu@. Into which that mould has been con.
ycrted. The we'll wooded and humid hills
are turned to ridges of dry rock, whicl.
| encumbers the low gro lndS and chokes the
watcrcourses with its dcty'is, and-eXccpt il
countries favored with an cquable distrbu-
! ton of rain through the seasons, and !,
moderate and regular inclination of sur
face the whole earth, unless rescued by
human art from the physical degradation to
| which it tends, becomes ali asscmJlage OF
| bald mountaus, of barren, turicss hills, and
Of swampy and muarious plains. There
are parts Of Asia Minor, of Northern Africa,
Of Greece, and even of Alpine Europe,
where the operation Of causes set in action
! by man has brought the face of the earth to
dcsolation all4ost as complete as that OF tho
moon; and though, within that brief space
Of time which we call the historical period,
they are known to have been covered with
, luXuriant woods, ycrdant pastures and fer.
| tile meadows, they are now too far deter.
ioated to be rcclaimab!c by man, nor can
they bocamc again fitted for human use,
! except through great geological changes. or
! other mysterious influences or agencies OF
! which we have no present knowledge, and
over which we have no prospective control. =
lie forcsec., 'tth.t leSolation, like that
which has overwhelmed many once beautiful
and fertile regions Of Europe, awaits an
| important part of the territory of the United
! States, aud Of other comparatively new
countries over which European civilization
| is now extending its sway, unless prompt
measures are taken to cheek the action oil
! the destructive causes already in operation.
| What these measures should be is difficult
to say. Legislation cannot effect much, for
mos; Of the land has passed TO private own.
crs. The Legislature and agricultural sorie.
ties might do something to encourage the
preservation of timber by iudicious taxation
and boUrties. But our chief hope lies III
the proper instruction of the people as tc
the Importance, for the good Of The country
Of preserving certain amount of forests. -
This might i'll time induce spirit as potent
for preservation us is the present spirit o
our farmers for the destruction of trees.
To inquire whether the earth has deter.
ioatcd under mans occupancy, and how
further evil may be avoided, is the object OF
q work recently written BY Mr.. George p
Marsh. The author has collected in thi.
work all The facts from history and geo.ra
ply which show what has been the actua
effect of human improvements upon tho
physical condition Of The earth, particularly
rs to climate and the fertility Of the sell
facts Of peculiar interest to the dwcllers upon
the American continent, since they indicate
what may &c expected here il we pursue til,
same course which has been pursued on tn,
eastern continent, and commenced here. -
Due attention to the lessons taught by thest
facts, aud shaping of future action in accord