The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-02
How SHALL we Improve sfsm westerns

pEafns - ~ so
1t Is a well-known faet that trees attract
the ain. In regions Whers large treeless
plains are intersperssd with forests twice OF
three Zines as much rain fills In the wooden
portion Of the country as In the barren local..
ties. Opposite the city of Detroit, and stu
ated in the Detroit river, In an island of some
two or three miles III length, and from half a
mile to q mile In width, entirely covered with
dense forests. It is remarkable fact that
every rain-cloud which threatens the city or
its surroundings invariably discharges its
contents over this island SO that the latter
receives the benefit Of all the showers, while
the adjoining country suffers severely of
drought. We have ourselves, during visit
to this locality few years since, experienced
all the force Of copious thunder shower, of
which not drop fell in the city or its neigh
borhood.
In our great prairies it is well known that
in the neighborhood of small streams, where
trees succeed in escaping the yearly fires, the
rainfall is much more profuse, the climate Is
dryer in proportion than west Of the Mis-
souri, river, where the trees are more scarce,
and the elevation of the soil is greater above
the oceans level. This dryness is sometimes
so great as to cause total failure of the
crops, a calamity fortunately unknown in the
Eastern and Middle States. In order to re-
deem our prairie-wastes, we should follow
the example of the Viceroy Of Egypt, Me-
hemet Ali, who, by planting millions of trees,
has caused in hitherto barren waste yearly
rainfall Of several inches.
The reverse is also true Countries in
which eopious rainfalls were formerly preva-
lent, have, by the clearing away of the trees,
become arid and even springs, which years
ago gave abundant water to the inhabitants,
have dried up. The latter is caused by a
secondary result: surface covered with
forest retains its moisture and gives the fall
ing rain chance to penetrate the soil and
find subterTanean channels to form springs
in the neighborhood, while land without
trees, when exposed to the solar rays, per
mits the surface to dry rapidly, great portion
of the water often evaporating before it has
time to penetrate the soil. This may be most
strikingly observed when early in the spring,
while snow is still on the ground, but has
commenced to disappear, we travel in forest
region which has been partially cleared.
Where the forest has been cut down, and the
soil is cultivated or in process of preparation,
the snow will be found to have disappeared,
chiefly by evaporation, while the earth is
often quite dry. In all places, however,
where the forest is standing, the winter
snow still covers the ground, and melts much
slower by evaporation. Nearly all the water
produced by this melting snow sinks either
in the ground or forms rivulets, which rush
down the mountain slopes. Such location
illustrates at the same time how large forests
will retard the beginning of spring, as on
passing through them in the season men,
toned the sudden change in temperature,
we would almost say in climate, is very
striking.
Illustrations of the effects of destroying
forests are abundant. The removal OF the
forest of the Vosges, in France, deteriorated
the moist and formerly very fertile climate OF
the plains of Afsace. The destruction Of the
forest of Cevennes, under the Roman En-.
peror Augustus, left the large and rich tracts
near the mouth of the Rhone exposed to the
cold northwest winds, which caused the area
formerly occupied by olive trees to be con-
siderably diminished, while the orange tree
has become scarce. These are facts recorded
! in history. In later times the clearing of the
Apennines has seriously altered the climate
| of the Pc Valley, so that now the dry slroccc
| from Africa, heretofore never known there
damages greatly the vegetation in the ter
ritofy of Parma. The same result was ex
perienced after clearing the pine forests o.
Ravenna, which were only twenty miles
long; but now they have grown again, ant
the injurious effects have disappeared. SINH
lar effects have been noticed in the telling o.
forests in this country in this case by Civ
ing, however, access to cold north winds
The lesson taught by all this is that mode
rate clearing of forest leaving patches o
woodland, and moderate planting Of tree
| where they are deficient, is not only desira
bic, as providing wood and lumber for TIN
farmers, but also as serving immensely to i'm
| prove the fertility Of the surrounding lane
under cultivation, in so far as the latter de
ponds on the supply Of rain.-Nanufactret
| and Builder.