The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-03-19

because the springs on which their living depended
failed one after another. Similar phenomena have
displayed themselves in our sland-se,tlemen of Maui
riiius aud Penang, where, owing TO the great value
OF land. the growth Of the sell speedily attracted the
notice of government, and led 10 the adoption of the
proper remedy. 1t was observed in The latter island
that the Chinese squst;ers, who could rot be expect
ed TO comprehend the laws Of nature, or 70 be guild
ed by considerations Of patriotism, cut down the
jungle on the spmmi,s and slopes OF the hills, upon
which the springs suddenly dried up, and, except
during the monsOons, no moisture was LETT in the dis
forested districts -
When We took the Mauri,ius from the French,
our enierprising co!onists thought it a pity that the
hne rich soil found on the tops Of hills should be
given up to the supported what they considered use
less woods; so they cut down the trees and replaced
them by cultivated fields. Very shortly il was
noticed that the streams were shrinking that one
stream after another disappeared that the green Of
the meadows was changed TO a dusty brown and
that the earth. IN short, ceased to be productive.
Rejecting persons were not slow in discerning the
cause of this great change, they noticed that the Pc
riodical rains, however abundant they might be, soon
Cleared away from the cultivated country, leaving il
exposed TO the rays of a fiery sun, which scorched
and wlthered up everything for want of a perennial
supply of moisture. The next step was with all Dos.
sibie speed 10 reclothe the mountains With forest and
jungle, upon which ex Experience had proved the fertil.
I;y OF the lower lands depended. Since then, we be-
heVe, the action OF the colOnists and Chinese squat
tiers has been checked. while all the land on the
crests of lofty hills and mountains has been retained
IN the hands of government 10 be devoted to forest.
throughout SOulneTu lDQl9, o similar pOlcy has
Teen forced upon the rulers by the urgent necessity
OF the case.
''To ignorant Asiatics, the desiccation of springs Is attributed
q the wrath OF certain divinities, provoked by the invasion OF
their sacred retreats; but Europeans, looking mp to the neigh
BORING hh!s, discover IN their naked and barren aspect the true
LAS far back as the seventeenth century, a Persian nobleman
conyersing one day with a European traveller, assured him that
within a comparatively few years no less than four hundred
springs had failed in the small province over which he ruled.
1t never occurred to him that by such a statement he was ac-
cusing himself of gross or criminal neglect, since he a the
materials Of fountains daily moved from the heights, where they
HOurshe . ages, 10 heat the ovens, or in the kitchens of the
wealthy, to roast kids and lambs for their sustenance. When
there EXISTED a government in the land worthy of the name.
cs then the banks of streams were fringed with woods then
n crests OF chains and ridges gloried in their prineval forests.
sort OF the intrepid hunter and of the meditatve saf. Low
down on the slopes of the hills. lovely orchards and rUse-garlens
which the children Of the Prophet So greatly deTgbt : u
but these beauties, once common, are now few and far between.
Most of the uplands are now bare, barren, stony,
I drink but the water he carries along with him in a leathern
saeki To prove that it ancienty was not so,
ana bridges and ornamented fountains where not one drop Of
water has teen beheid for ages.
W dwell upon the state of Persia because it affords the
most striking exempli6cation of the evils brought by an igno-
rant government upon mankind"
Our space will not permit US to copy the en-
tire article, which is long but very interesting.
We wish the importance of the subject could be
impressed on our planters and agriculturists,
now, before our islands suffer any more from
the loss of our forests and trees. II, how
ever, the prospective interests Of the country con-
tinue to be sacrificed to present service, the time
will soon come when legislation must be had on
this subject. and fuel will have to be obtained
rom other sources. This affords a good subject
for discussion before the Planters Association,
is soon to be organized to consider ques-
tions pertaining to our agriculture.