New-York tribune., 1873-07-07

Constant "s supply Of water from those streams OF
the wilderness our canals would be dry and great
poron of the grain and other produce OF the western
part of tho State would he unable TO nd cheap trans
portstion TO tho markets OF the Hudson River Valley
In Erie and the neighb0ring western counties gram
woud In value aud the farmers would be In the
power of the great railroad monopoes The merchants
be ruined, and the hundred prOpeers which now make
the Hudson foam before the fleets they tow might % Se
believe that the great Adirondack Forest has power
ful influence pou me general cmatoogy OF the Seato
upon the rainlaI Winds and temperature, moderatlhH
STORMS and equalizng throughout the year tne anon
OF moisture carried by the atmosphere controng gd anu
in a measure subduing, the powerful n0rtnety wus'
modifying their GOODNESS and equazing tho tempera-
ture or the whole State.
EFFECT OF FORESTS on THs RAINFALL
Itisnow generally conceded that forests do not In
crease the amount of annual rainfall Their influence
is to cause distribution OF the rain in frequent showers
at short intervals throughout the year, while their
absence induces drouths, followed by sudden ana
tremendous storms which the origin Of disastrous
floods AN floods, however are not to l0e attributed 70
the Destruction Of the forests in this in other
things there exceptions to the rule Nevernsess
upOn the Hudson River the destruction OF the Adoh-
SacE forest would have calamtous effect The deep Win
ters SHOWS would remain unmelted t,l Ihe iSVo sgr
compact covering of equivalent TO - inches OF
water. Spring, with its sunshine and showeIs ~ouu
cubic feet OF water might rush at once down down
through the valleys TO the sea- While the Adfonuaoh @
tected from the direct RAYS OF the IN Spring and
will slowly and gradually melt away The general ei ,h
IA.
air will not be oyercharged with moisture, ana sudden
heavy rains will be improbable such yspor a. S ef.s ,ns
will form light drifting clouds, which, inuenced Dy tne
forest will act part Of vast shielding canopy
above the snOwbound earth: While in our opinion tne
chief and very important influence which forests exer
else upon the rainfall is their power to moderate storms
and distribute the annual quantity Of rain more equally
greatest OF scientific men, those who strenu0usy adyo
cate the theory that the presence OF great oress III
creases and their absence diminshes, tne amount VI
annual rainfall. Among those who have gwen @ tle
weight Of their names ana influence 10 tS ,eodS 5
be mentioned Humboldt, Bonpland, DE Sausure,
Bousingaut, and others. a.,
But II is not necessary TO enter more fully upon this
ot go1bt viz that the Obstruction Of forest covering
the sources stream river, by exposing tne moist
earth, the springs, rs aud brooks TO evaPOrupH,
man has therefore, more right to cut away those lor
ests absolutely and divert by eyaporaton Ine msJ S
they protect, than he has to conduct II away Ior ms
own selfish purposes, by canal or tube 1hose Dolow
him upon the stream tne nl owner ana t the tbe
the farmer aud his cattle are rs much ehlIsu 10 Ie
water as the lumberman is to the timber Inc cahal
suatnS from this wrong The water supply OF the
Cbampain Canal s entirely obtained from the streams
OF TINS wilderness, and the Erie canal from home 10
Albany is almost entirely supphed from Dne same
water shed. In the Hudson near Albany ana Troy nav
gatiOn at midsummer has DecOne very uuncat LUZ tne
mill owners at Gens Falls and az otner points nd aV
their water fails them and the farming lands through
out tue state suffer from the storms and droutlls al
ready noticed II IL of no consequence tba thIough
ignorance OF the natural laws governing ram and nv
ers men have hitlefto peIeo' t wruno bicb ;hnV @
dd understand Tue State must apply the remedy
protect their interests, preserve tnc IoIest'
THE PARK TO A TIMBER PRESERVE.
The supply OF timber which State possesses within
its own limits is one OF the of its wealth. The
lumber trade of NewYork was It's earliest
of income and our people will have ever to re-
gret the hour when that trade shall to exist At
first sight may appear that the absorption OF all this
forest practically the only lumber region now re-
nainng ip he Statc into state park would amount 70
tbe Immediate annihlaOn OF that trade. The idea OF
such an unproducye aud useless park we utterly ana
lfafa naFE
timber preserye and reserve The carefully protected
forests OF Europe afford their states large annual IN
charged with the care the forests who marx the Oid
and mature trees for cutting, aud see mat as
ing tiuibef In England, and more especially
in Ireland forest culture has received much atten-
walton OF forest trees for industrial purposes was com
menced In Ireland, barren hllsldcs and hitherto
with forests and the native trees now in some sec
less abundant than the foreign varieties he very
are natural forests which preserved ana properly
cared for afording supplies of valuable timber for
be created careful consideration should be given to the
utilization orthe forest If the present waste1u use OF
lumber continued the forests OF Canada ana the
West Will fail and even now our supply from those
quarters may be any year destroyed Dy snot1er SERIES
OF those cOnagratiOus which have, III Wisconsin
and Michigan, already been so extensive ana usstrOs
Unless desire to he reduced to the use OF Inferior
tmbcr-Of basam-fir aud OF other trees when We now
regard wOrthlesSwe must preserve our forests In
addition TO these weighty considerations OK political
which render the preservation or the forest al
visabe Its effect upon the general healthtuness OF Tue
State great The philosopher, Boyle long since re-
marked the Dutch East Indian Island OF Ternate
long celebrated for its beauty and heatb1uness the
trees in such pleDty as TO render ther pro
duct almost vaueess TO raise the price OF the COM
modify most OF the spice forest destroyed. lnme-
diatey the lsand-preyously, COOL healthy, anu pleas
anti became hot dry, and slckly, and unit Tor human
estdencS II is well known that the general clearing
away of the forests this country has had tendency
TO raise the temperature which IN summer reaches such
"A hight as 10 barely euduraDle. 10 foster ana pro-
mote natural and healhful exercises among the young
men of the State il necessary in 10 pre-
serve game and the forest which affords II shelter
THE WILD LANDS TO BE RETAINED.
The area OF the proposed park will not appear so i'm
mense when we compare 1t with that OF the United
States park at the head waters Of the Yellowstone
River. in the Rocky Mountains. When we remember,
also that that great reservation made by the Gov
ernment, not from motives Of political economy or
public necessity but simply in order to preserve 1t as
pleasure ground for the people then the claims OF the
little settlements already existing IN the region are not
Incompatible with the project but are on the contrary
Indispensable to the completeness OF the PARK. 1hey
would provisions, as now Tor t0ursls ana IunDer
mon. and the people of these settlements, many OF
whom now earn livelihood as guides, having direct
interest in the welfare OF the park would voluntarily
destruction. Should these wild lands become the
property OF the state, IL Is Thought that
leases Of woodland points In lakes ana OF lsahas near
certain favOTte localities, 10 citizens desrOus OF erect
ing rustic Summer villas hunting lodges, would FORM
very considerable source OF income, ana more than
repay any expenditures which would De necessary
There is no need however for any expenditures save,
possbly in the Improvement of few of the principal
leading the settlements The forest IS IN itself
natural park and II would be Improper 70 thlnk Oh IN
closing and fencing it, for 1t should be common unto
The people the State. The question before your COM
mission great Importance 70 che state, and re-
0ures their further consideration For the present We
ft dxyia ah AM