The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-05-03

A1r. Haldeman, OF Ienna., on
Wednesday of last week, delivered a
speech of considerable importance
before the House, on the bill to en-
the planting Of trees, and to
preserve the woods on the National
domain. He alleges, as the result
of his Investigations, that the future |
mental and physical character Of our
people, will be largely dependent up
on the amount and distribution of
our future forests: and as to the
facts which have led him to that
conclusion, he points to the counties
of Europe and Asia, all of which
have, at various periods of their his
tory, endeavored to check the wan
ton destruction of their forests in Or
der to avoid the results which invar-
iably follow such destruction. He
gives, in illustration Of the deplor-
able results of tree destruction, Per
sia, which is void offorests, in which
droughts and famine and pestilence
have prevailed for years; and points
to the barren parts of India, as SUBJ
ject to great droughts. Even in the
rainy season, in Bengal, the interior
of which is free from Forests, is con-
sumed by droughts. The changed
condition of Syria, from what it was
in ancient times, when it was a busy
and prosperous commercial county,
to its present impoverished condi-
ton, is traceable to the destruction
ofits forests, and the consequent dry
ing up ofits mighty rivers, $50 that
one can now go days journey and
not wet the sole of ones feet" The
decay of Greece is traceable to the
same causes. He points to Turkey,
Spain and Italy, as further indica-
tions of the truth stated, and claims
that the same results are already fol-
lowing in the footsteps of the de-
struction of the forests of America.
The annual rain fall, in Masschu-
sets, is shown to have been reduced
one half, within the present century.
Some of its streams, formerly of i'm
portance, are now insignificant, while
land formerly productive, is now
sterile. So of New York; while in
Ohio, the steady decrease of rain
falls, and the diminution of the wa
ter supply in its rivers, is pointed to
as significant. The woods are the
great reservoirs of water, and when
destroyed, and the lands cultivated,
the water runs of rapidly and
drought follows. In New York, the
people are asking for legislation to
preserve the great North woods,
which is regarded as controlling the
waters of the Hudson, from wanton
destruction. Russis, a great wood
ed country, has interdicted the use
of wood on railroads, as fuel, regard
ing it as a wanton waste. Observa-
| ton has taught it to preserve its for
ests. In Japan, ifa man cuts down
one tree he is obliged by law to plant
another. In Prussia, France and
Great Britain, the woods are under
the care of public officers, and are
protected from destruction.
Mr.. Haldeman adduces the fol-
lowing as among the benefits de-
rived from forest trees: 1st. Mild
ness and equality of climate. I'd.
Sufficient rainfall, and freedom from
drought. Sd. Volume of rivers and
their easy navigation. 4th. Abund-
ance of springs. 9th. Freedom
from miasmatic influences. 9th. Per
manent check upon inundation and
freshets.
In support of these, he gives as
facts, that large tracts of land in Scot
land have been planted with trees,
and the adjacent lands, which had
been arid and dry, haYe become
moist and productive. In the West
India Islands, the telling of the for
est trees has produced increased
heat and aridity of soil. Immense
tracts fland bordering upon Alex
andria and Cairo, have been planted,
and within few years copious rains
have fallen where previously there
was rain only at long intervals-six-
teen months having passed, at times,
without rain. In regard to the
presence OF woods preventing inau-
dations, the theory is:
The principle involved in preventing inun-
dations, OF diminishing their ravages is a sim
pie one. Any cause which absorbs largely of
81, L., .
sudden and heavy rains must check the form
alton of torrents and diminish the rise of riv-
ers. This is done in the case of the thick
growth of trees by arresting a large share of
the fall, which would otherwise form surface
water, absorbing it in leaves, branches, trunks,
and roots, and slowly transmitting it to the
surrounding soil. The surface of a forest can
never pour forth 5uch deluge of water as
flows from uncovered soil. Vegetable mold
known as hasnsus) IS capable OF absorbing al
most twice Its own weight OF water, and the
soil in a forest Of deciduous trees is composed
of this humuS to the depth of several inches,
frequently several feet.
As to the dispensing properties OF the woods
the authorities are Iull, harmonious and clear.
Becquerel in his work on "CIimate," says that
"humid air, charged with miasmatic vapors, is
deprived of them In passing throughsthe for
ests" The speaker says that the sWamps of
Nlrglnla ana Lhe CarOnnas are salubr1ous
where the woods are standing, but grow nox-
ious and poisonous when the trees are felIed.
The foliage exercises chemical influence on
the atmosphere.
Taking for granted all that is of
fered in his speech, to which we have
alluded, Congress cannot take action
too soon upon this matter, for the
waste of forest is immense, in this
rapidly growing country, where So