The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-09-15
TIE GAIL EDON IAN .
Agritultnral.
Tho DrOuth.

The sun comes up clear and burning
very day, and goes through the heavens
by cloud. The moon ap-
pears every night without that circle which
is SO unwelcome sometimes, but which
would now be regarded as halo OF glory
The leaves are shriveling and turning
brown, the grass and the flowers are Dry
inc up, the soil is as ashes. People are
wondering what is to become OF them, II
things are to 90 on in this way much
longer. II is title consolation to be told
that the baryests Of Great Britain are SUI
tcr;np from wet. and that the West has
had the rair1iest season known for years.
These things may show that the full aver
AGE of moisture has fallen upon the earth,
only we have not had our share I" but
there's the rub" We must be patient and
hopeful that the balance, not out OF due
time. will be redressed, and those languisll-
ING fields and gardens will yet be blessed
with fair return,
But are not these severe drouths, in this
section of the country, becoming more ire
cuent Certainly, where we suffer from
an oyer-rainy season, we do from halt a
dozen over-dry ones Perhaps it was al
ways so, although the popular impression
is decidedly the reverse. If this impress
sion i correct the trouble may be partial
ly owing to mans fault, and its remedy to
the same extent within his control. The
cause to which we refer is the cutting of
our forest. to so great and needless de-
gree This subject has been widely dis
cu>sad by scientific men, who, differing
widely in their aggregate conclusions, have
nevertheless concurred a. to the influence
which forest. have upon the moisture OF
air and soil. The influence may be man.
iies:eI in two ways: in attracting great
er fall Of rain for the year, and in making
tho same quantity last longer and do more
good.
It seems to have been ascertained, his
toricallv, that in countries like France,
Italy, spain and Palestine, which have
been largely cleared of woods, the annua
ia! OF rain is less now than it was form
crlv. On the other hand, extensive tree
planting in Egypt and Scotland have beer
followed by more rain yearly than wa:
previously known in those sections These
are certainly curious results, if truly re-
ported They are attributed, in part, tc
the attraction of upright masses Of trees
for the rain clouds, and to other influence:
not well understood. But, however thi:
may be, it is clear TO the common sense
OF every observing man that a country
Astounding in woods will retain its average
fall OF ram longer and turn it to better &C.
count than country that is bare. In the
latter the wind has clean sweep over the
whole. surface, driving up and baking the
soil, cShausting the springs and water
courses When the snow melts in the
spring, or heavy rims fall, there is nothing
to dc.sin the water. but it rushes off il
sudden, destructive freshets, gulleyins the
land and bearing away its richness. On the
other hand, in country where the tillags
land is intermingled with goodly forests
the cold winds of winter and the no
winds Of summer are alike tempered ant
checked, 50 that the soil is neither so much
frozen ut one season nor parchcd at thu
other. Both the woods and the debris o
leaves, as well as the moses and such lik.
vegetation that they generate, act lik'
great sponges to retain heavy rains, dis
tribute their water through the soil NOR
slowly, and keep more even flow O
springs and brooks. Thus, even if ther
i. no more rain fall. in a season, tn
ground suffers less from drouth.
Whoever has lived in section that Ia
been cleared within his lifetime, will hav
observed these familiar phenomena. II
will remember fair-sized brooks whic
have shrunk into mere water courses
ant that not from the same delusion {
memory which makes the old elm appea
smaller than it once was, because the form
CT banks of the brook are there to bea
testimony-and he will point to the place
where spings once were which are no'
dry If these things he SO. the effect o
y large scale must be obvious The rem
edy, Of course, if it is to be had at al
can only be had in retracing the path {
experiencc--in retaining and carefully 70:
tering what woods VIC have and in plant
ing Others. At some future day we sha
probably rec the wisdom of this cour>
and think az highly Of it as they do
some of the old countries 1t is pity
however, that we cannot learn wisdom 6
q cheaper rate than we are likely to do