The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-05-20
For the anderson MtelHgencer.
The Destruction of our Forests.

For the anderson IateUigencer.
The Destruction of our Forests.
Mr. EDITOR: Is it not astonishing that men
will continue to literally ruin this country by
cutting down the forest timberP Many of
these very men are said to possess sound judg-
ment on many matters of public good, but in
this they manifest sad deficiency. 1t is a
fact that the severe droughts which af1ict this
country these late years, and cause so many
uneasy hearts, are the legitimate results Of the
vast tracts of cleared land stretching around
us, and especially in the low-country. Every
green leaf is pump, lifting moisture from the
deepest roots and throwing it on the atmos-
phere. When only one such leaf is plucked,
that much moisture is cut off. If green tree
is killed, the air is deprived of much more +;
but if the whole country is cleared, las is al
most the case now,) then that mighty volume
of water which the forest supplies is filtered
through the earth to the seas.
Another hurtful result Of so much clearing
is the drying up of nearly every spring-branch
and stream in the opened land. While they
remained, the air absorbed water from them
in connection with that thrown off by the
leaves hence, the air and clouds could soon
gather water enough to empty themselves in
refreshing showers on the earth. As it now is,
We must wait till the narrow belts of timber
and the few marshy places that are left can
supply moisture enough to rain. While we
wait, we can see and feel the effect of our folly
the drought. Then unreasonable men will
begin to grumble at what they themselves have
caused Some persons will see nothing in this,
but I will soy to all such, that fifty years ago
such thing as we call drought was almost
unkno,0n. And again, fifty years ago very lit
tie of the timber was destroyed.
The French Government several years past
was about to pass law requiring the barren
tracts of land to be sown in acorns to create a
forest by which to bring on rain. Why is it
that Texas and other Western States are so
often scorched with the hot winds of "long
dry spell?" Simply because timber is so
scarce The fact is, that in every country on
the earth where rain is scarce timber is scarce.
I have heard old men speak of the fine seasons
hatblessed their growing crops in their younger
days. Where are those seasons now? Alas,
they are gone with the forest timber, or nearly
80.
There is enough cleared land in South Caro-
lima to-day to support twenty times its present
population. Yet, instead of improving the
land already cleared, men are rushing needless
y into the few forest patches that are left as if
they could not bear to see them. And soon
the "reverberating crash of falling trees" is
heard, ,and the land is left to parch in the SUMS
rays This work of desolation has been grad
ually carried on for years from the sea-shore
to the up-country; and at this time the vast
army of unthnking men, armed with axes, are
invading the mountain forests, and recklessly
telling the trees. Their actions seem to say to
the clouds as they are drawn thither by the
mountain woods, "We don't want your rain y
and off they go as if in search of other tim
bered belts, dropping little shower on their
way as a person would spill some of the water
from the pail on the way from the spring to
the house.
We are having in this country these late
years more and severer storms than formerly.
This verify believe to be another result of the
frightful destruction of the timber. Again,
this beautiful land was once almost entirely
exempt from chills and fever. Now, since
there is so little timber left to take up the poi
sonous malaria, we shake with chills and burn
with fever. And then amid it all ask, "What
can be the cause of it ?' I'VE have caused it.
Green leaves throw off oxygen, which supports
animal life and in turn feed on carbonic acid
gas, which "is formed in the bodies of all ami
mails" This gas, when respired, destroys ami
NAL life We are told by chemists that each
adult man exhales about 140 gallons of it per
day. Now, is it not wisdom, as far as possible,
to let the trees stand as guards of our health,
if for no other purpose?
Fire-wood is getting to be very scarce and
high in some places. Even now many must
resort to the cold field pine" for fuel, not only
for the stove, but for the fire place. Another
bad result of our folly. 1t is absolutely pain
full to thinking man to have to travel by a
fence ~ made Of pine poles. Another bad
result. Wonder what the owners of such fen
ces will do when the poles give out. There
are plenty of farmers in this country now who
must travel miles to get board tree to cover
stable or corn-crib. Is this another result
The probability is, after while they will cease
to hunt, just because there will be none to find.
If our people continue to butcher this land in