Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-12-18
For the VERMONT FARMER.
THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR
FORESTS.


propose to make few remarks is nearly
or quite worn threadbare, from too extensive
an application of remarks aforesaid. How
ever, as the season is at hand in which our
forest regions most universally suffer from
the ruthless ak of the choppers, l would
again call the attention of your readers to
the injuries resulting therelrom.
These are mainly Frst,-Greater ex.
tremes of temperature. BY the destruction
Of forests over any extent of territory the
summers are rendered more intensely hot, aud
the rigors of winter are more keenly felt.
We all know that wooded regions serve to
cool the air and alleviate the sultry atmos-
phere of summer. The winds blowing over
forests are uniformly cooler and more salu.
brious than those blowing over naked tracts,
even of much lower temperature. On the
other hand in winter the air is rendered
warmer and far less severe in places we'll
wooded. This is SO not only from the fact
that they serve 10 protect from the winds
but that they retain the heat of the sun to
be surrendered when the temperature is low
cred. In this manner very perceptible
difference is made in the climate of any
place.
Second Greater prevalence Of dcstruc-
tive winds No argument is needed to prove
the truth of this statement. The history Of our
Western States, as well as New England, is
sadly illustrative Of this fact. Forests are
fclled to furnish lumber and fuel, also Ia
open the way to future settlement, only to
lay the country open to tho mercy OF the
hurricane and tornado and tho borean
blasts Of the artic zone. In New England
the Atlantic storms unimpeded by these
natural safeguards sweep over the country
to the great lakes aud even beyond, doing
untold damage. In Vermont they are call
ed "SoutheaSters, and Of late years tht
name has been associated with feelings o.
anything but pleasure.
Third, d,-Greater prevalence Of thunder
storms, and consequent damage to property
aud life. Through a wise provision il
Nature each tree of any species is an indi
vidual conductor of electricity, and serves t
conduct the electricity of a supercharget
cloud silently and invisibly to the earth, this
tending to preserve an electric equilibrium
an uniformity of atmosphere that cannot
be otherwise attained. Then in a thunder
storm when the electric state of the cloud
is supra positive, the crashing thunderbolt
which announces the passage of the electri
fluid to a negative body, invariably select
some lofty tree in forest as its conductor
in preference to buildings or animals, when
ever in close proximity. We literally cove
our house with lightning rods, and they ar
well in their place, but few tall trees nea
the building rising some distance above
, are worth far more than all the lightnin
rods ever invented, as u security agains
damage by lightning. Heat and eloctricit
. are co.existant. Groves Of trees by dspers
, ing the heat of summer, render the liabllit,
to sudden storms much less, and at the sam
r time cool and purify the air.
} Fourth,-The destruction of forests great
) ly diminishes the amo unit of rainfall over
. given extent When the lower stratum {
. air is hot and electrically positive, the pas
1 ing rain cloud rises above the point OF col
densatiOn. That is, the clouds float 80 hig
. that they are not condensed in the form {
: rain, while if the air was cooled and temper
o ed by forests, a copiOus fall Of rain Woul
f follow. This Is the reason why wooded r,
: gions always have greater fall rain tina
D deserts or prairie tracts. 1t is >tundi
IS mental law of electricity that like states re
b. pei. So If the cloud is positive, which
g generally the case and the lower stratum
!. air likewise positive, then instead OF Il
l cloud being attracted, 1t is repelled, causlI
= it to rise higher. The clouds thus rePellC
floats until some mountain or forest is reach
o ed when it is at once attracted and conden
Is cd. This is the reason why mountain
If draw the showers" as people often remarl
i Vermont has often been praised for !
!. beauty, and the health of its Green Mounta
% air. So Whittier truly says
r There's iron in our Northern winds,
n Our pines trees Of OfhealngI'
But if the wholesale annihilation Of Of
10 forests be not shortly checked, this will SOC
Q be no longer said, and the name " Ver'
}. mont" will become misnOmer. So gener
Is has been the clearing up of our forests, tn