Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-09-24
Cutting Down Forests Affecting Gil.
mate.


We have many times called attention TO
instances of the injurious effects on eli
mate of the wholesale cutting down of for
ests. An interesting account, communi-
Gated some time ago 10 the Linn@an Socie-
ty by DIR. Shaw, furnishes an example of
another kind, and shows us how the vege-
tation and climate of the wood producing
region of the Cape Colony are being chang
ed for the worse by "a persistent and
greedy system of overstocking." The reg
ion in question is known as the enid
lands;" situa lie far in the interior beyond
the Sneeuwberg range Tor snowy Noun
tains y and in the days of the first settlers
was the pasture-ground of thousands of an
telopes and other animals, which, follow
ing the rains, migrated from one end TO
the other. 1t is very different now.
When first introduced, the sheep thrived
80 in that prairie land that the settlers
crowded it more and more with sheep.
Soon the grass was all devoureJ, and
plants and shrubs were attacked, and came
to be the main resource of the hocks. The
ground was consequently left TO bush and
scrub, and TO obnoxious and poisonous
herbs, and the intoxicating Melice-the
"dronk" grass of the Dutch colonists.
1.-THE climate" says Mr.. Shaw, "necessa-
rily became affected. The rainfall came
down less certainly, and oftener in the
form of thunder-torrents. Side by side
with the attacks of the flocxs the more
subtle and insidious agency of changing
climate came into power. The hardy plants
OF the Karoo commenced to travel north
ward, and added their energies to the ex-
tirpating Of acknowledgements and proper flo
ra of the region, and being of bitter and
nauseous character they enjoyed immuni-
ty, and were only eaten by sheep in cir
cumsta nces of dire necessity. Sweet bush,
such as Lyciums, vanished before them
and the weld has become what is called by
the farmers, and indeed is now, "bitter
Weld" and is rapidly becoming an extern
sion of dreary, scrubby, halfdesert Ka-
roo" Besides all this, the ground becomes
harder, and the perennial springs weaker.
1t is clear that If some remedial meas
ures are not applied, this once prosperous
region will becomea wilderness. DIR. Shaw
is Of opinion that the Cape Government
should experiment on the introduction of
grasses" and by the construction of colos-
sal dams, save the country, keep up the
deep springs, and in connection Herewith,
rear the beginnings of forests, to modify
and increase the rainfall" Nothing stops
the extension of The "wlld Karoo," as Bar
ry Cornwall calls it, so ef1ectually as per-
manent moisture. AS DIR. Shaw SAYS in
conclusion: at is certainly a subject of
alarm TO tie the country when 1t is known
that drier season than usual entails pow
erty and death to an inealculable extent
among our focks in South Africa. Some
tracts OF country are poisoned by the ex-
traordinary increase of the ITipterts fezu-
osdi and transport riders, with their oxen,
Jour only carrying power), have to travel
through certain parts of the country with
out pausing, on account of the MelicB,
grasses which have increased within the
past few years 10 a degree scarcely credible,
and on eating which cattle become intoxi-
Gated to an alarming xtent."-Chdnl6ers'
Journal,