Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-31

TUESDAY. OCTOBER 81, 1871.
Enrcst. aud CIimn,c.

Forests and Climate.
1t is pretty generally accepted as one of the
established truths of natural science that de-
crease in the area of forest tends to diminish
the rainfall and in other respects moddes the
climate. Observation and reasoning from uudis-
npted facts and principles both confirm this
conclusion. Countries formerly covered with
forests and then known to have cold, moist
and equable climate, since their timber lands
have been cleared until only a small percentage
Of their surface is still wooded, have an average
temperature higher than before, with a much
rreaier range between its extremes, arc subject |
10 prolonged droughts and occasional violent |
foods, and their depth Of annual rainfall is very
much less than when the forests existed. The |
natural laws which regulate the evaporation and |
condensation of moisture and the radiation of
beatexplaiu tn ,se facts and confirm the conclu- !
siops deduced from them. The eastern part ofthe !
uuned States when first discovered, including
all the Atlanta slope and a considerable part of
the Mississippi valley, was covered with forests.
The best energies of the early settlers were de-
voted TO clearing the land to fit it for cultivation.
They came to regard tree as natural enemy.
For hundred wears or more the forest area
was constantly diminishing, and the climatic
changes which were to have been expected have |
doubtless taken place. These changes were not
altogether for the worse. The climate of New
England and Of the states as far west as lndi-
ana and Michigan is probably more genial than
il was when our for.iathers landed on Plymouth
rock.
There are apprehensions however, that the
-.I.,,,a
and that we are beginning to experience It's i'll
effects. Wet seasons, il is said, are the eXcep
lions where formerly they were the rule.
Springs dry up that were never Known to fail,
and streams which some years ago supplied in
the dryest time Copious volume of water are
now for months in summer reduced to scanty
rils or give out utterly. There is already
demand that these warnings should be needed;
that the encroachmentS upon the forests should
cease, and measures be taken 10 renew some of
those which have been destroyed, so as TO restore
the conditions which alone will save the coun-
try from ihe threatened dominion of drouth and
sierhty. 1t is seriously proposed that the states
and the general government should provide by
law reasonable regulations for preserving what
forests remain and for planting others, reqnir-
Ing timber to be cut for necessary purposes in
systematic manner, which will allow for its re-
newal by successive growths and prevent the
forest area from ever becoming less than it is
now. The extreme drouths which have prevail
ed during the last three years in various parts
OF the country have given rise to this uneasiness.
Ii has been assumed that they were due to the
cause we have mentioned, and THAT they were
more severe than have been known before. The
cause therefore, it is said must have been in
creasing in extent since its effects are so much
more apparent.
II cannot be denied that the last two years
rain fall has generally been very light, and that
the dryness of the ground and the lowness of
the streams Is remarkable, perhaps uneXam-
pied BostOn's water supply is so nearly eX-
hausted as to cause serious apprehensions. The
streams throughout New England, unless Maine
is an exception, just now are much lower than
usual, though not generally quite so low as last
wear at this time. In the west the Mississippi
and its tributaries have never contained SC
small a volume of water. In many of then
navigation is suspended where no scarcity o
water has been known before, Streams tina
usually float a steamboat may now easily b
dulge in lugubrous jokes about the ne
cessity Of furnishing steamboats, will
cow-catchers, or the danger that cattl,
resorting TO the Mississippi for water should eX
hau.t the stream. These facts are undisputcd
but we believe it is mistake to attribute th
exceptional drouth to the destruction of forests
The cause, whatever it is, may or may not b
within the power of man 10 control or influence
Persistent and intelligent inquiry would IL
doubt be well repaid but that diminution in TIN
area of woodland has not caused the dimnishet
rainfall Of the last two or three years we con
WINGED, because we feel confident that the eXten
ofland covered with growing timber has no
been diminished in the United States within thu
last thirty years. but rather increased.
We know that this is not the general im
preston, and it may he incorrect There are NJ
satisfactory statistics on the subject, that VT
know Of; but there are facts which win make
our conclusion seem not improbable Nowhere
except, perhaps, in few places and over small
areas, are there any systematic clearing opera
tons, changing forests into arabic land, OF
pasture All through New England, except in
Maine, the extent of land under cultivation is
not increasing; the wood lots, when cut off, are
allowed TO grow up again in wood. In many
towns in Massachusetts, atlcast, and we presume
it is so in other states, any intelligent old man
will confirm the statement that there
is greater extent of woodland than
when he was young. In Maine i'm
mense quantities Of logs are cut for lumber
but the lamberers do not clear the forest; they
cut selected trees only, and the woods are not
noticeaby less dense when they have iclled al
that is valuable TO them. In some portions o
New York and Ohio it may be that the area o
cultivated land has increased, and the woodlan,
has been encroached upon, but still further ives
the forests have undoubtedly increased.
writer in the New York Post says:
"lu the olderprarie safes, like Ohio and Ken
lucky, and even in all those east OF the Missis
sppl, forests have multiplied as the lndian am
buffalo have been driven west There are man
nen now living who see young forests spread
M over miles Of country, which, when he wa
boy, was open prairie. Portions of Kentuck
which Daniel Boone and his companions saw a
naked prairie are now covered with thrift
forests Perhaps | have known more of Iii
nois than any western state during the las
forty years, and ! think | shall be sustainct
i'll my assertion by old residents when saw tina
the forest surface in that state has auadrupled Il
the last twenty years. aud there is a fair prospec
that it will be quadrupled in the next quarter q
a century. The humiliation of the buffalo an
the prevention of the annual fires Of the india,
would in twenty years time cover the Vas
county west Of the Mississippi and to the ocea
with thrifty forests; for it is only the annui
fires and the close cropping of thelherbage By til
buffalo that keeps them back now"
There may be some cause not yet detectC
which is producing permanent change in OF
climate, or the recent dfouth may be due to ten
pOrary influences which will eude investigation
but we think il clear that it cannot he caused |
gradual reduction OF the forest area, unless Il
evil effects OF that reduction which ceased man
years ago, are only now beginning to be felt
The gentleman at whose suit writ was serve
on Mr. Boutwell, as he was entering the hall
deliver bis lecture in New York last week, wa
Mr. b. c. Calvin, Canadian lawyer, who
also, in his own opinion at least, a Hnancie
He demands compensation for scheme ,