Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-04-19
Effects of Seasons on the Distribution
of Animals and Plants.


As a modern illustration of what may
have produced some of the earlier
changes in the distribution of organic
FORMS. animal and vegetable, Prof
Shaier makes a communication to The
american Naturalist upon the effects
of extraordinary seasons in the distri-
button of animals and plants. Speaking
of the winter of 1S71-72, he remarks
that it was one of the driest on record
in New England, the rainfall not only
being much less than usual, but also
coming in such fashion as to leave the
ground very dry during the winter.
The snowfall was slight, and did not
lie well upon the ground, so that great
portions of the surface were quite unpro-
tected. Under these circumstances the
long-continued and steady cold froze
the earth to a great depth, the freezing
extending as much as five feet below
the surface in some places, and being
sufficient throughout the whole of New
England to involve the roots of the veg
citation and the forests. The effects OBJ
served were in all probability due not
only to the intensity of the cold, but to
presumed deficiency of sap in the
plants in connection with the low tenn
perature; the roots remaining for some
time in contact with relatively dry earth,
as the frosts left them, causing a shock
too great for their vitality to withstand.
The tree which suffered most was the
arbor-vite, more than half of these hav-
ing died, and the rest being in a critical
condition. The red cedar was likewise
great sufferer, as also the yellow and
white pines; indeed, all the conifer@ in
New England have been injured to q
greater or less degree. The greatest
damage was experienced in sandy soils.
The only change in animal life no.
ticed by Prof. Shaler is the comparative
scarcity of snakes, which he considers tc
be very decided feature. An interest
ing point in this connection is the ques-
ton as to what would have been the effect
of carrying the action of the climate q
little farther; since, small as the de.
struction of forest trees is, it will doubt.
less add seven per cent. to the deciduous
trees of New England, and remove al
equal number of conifers. The latter
appear to be the relics of an old time,
and not suited to a successful warfare
with the younger and nsore elastic trees,
such as the oaks, beeches, etc. If the
shock of the last season had been suffi
cient to kill off the whole of our pines, 6
complete change would have taker
place in our forests, the vacant place;
being occupied by deciduous species
This would affect the character of the
underground very materially, as well as
that of the insect life, and, consequently
that of the birds, and mammals. Fur
thermore, the climate might have beer
influenced in some measure, for a pine
forest retains the snow better than one
which loses its leaves in winter, and thus
tends to secure a more equable temper
ature in its neighborhood.
Thus, according to the author, an ac
cidental drouth might bring about {
change in the vital conditions on the
surface of the land as great as those
which, when recorded in strata, we ac
cept as indicating distinct geological
formations.