New-York tribune., 1876-09-02
TIE DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS.

We are again suffering from what threatens
to become an annual visitation. With tenn
perature of only $50 during the MONDAY
hours. the air is as dead and oppressive as
during the extreme heats of July; the streets
and shores seem to smolder under vail OF
dull blue haze; the sky ia partially obscured,
but gives birth to no INFRINGING cloud, and
an unaccountable lassitude and depression are
felt by all who are sensitive to atmospheric
Influences. From the west and north west,
over the intervening hills and lowlands, the
smokes of burning forests drift down upon us,
sitting q portion of the ozone which remains
to US after the Summer drouth, and rendering
our atmosphere impure and sufiocating. The
extent to which such conhagrations spread
their influence is not generally appreciated
Sometimes large forest-6re in Southern
New-Jersey will for days obscure the air Of
all Pennsylvania east of the Alleghenies. The
smoke Of the great Chicago fire OF 1871
reached the Atlantic coast in about 60 hours,
still carrying with 1t the strong smell OF
burned grain and goods. The burning OF
woods in Canada is felt on the shores OF
Chesapeake Bay.
This periodic recurrence OF forest-6res is
made possible by the prolonged spells OF dry
weather which have followed the wanton de-
struction of 40 much of our native woodland.
II matters little practically, therefore, whether
the former are accidental or the work of in
cendaries: the original cause remains the
same. The shrinkage Of rivers and streams
has become universally apparent; and equally
40 is the increase Of great floods and inunda-
tions, whereby Nature violently restores the
equilibrium. The proportion of forest to cul-
tivated land. which is necessary In order to
preserve the normal rainfall, is now tolerably
well settled; and the fact that. in many parts
of the country, that proportion has already
been violated, has long been evident. While
we have an annual season of drouth, we are
sure to have an annual burning of forests.
No system of guards or corps Of organized
fre-fghters will be so effectual to prevent the
latter as the simple prevention OF the former.
In Europe, the Governments have long ago rec
ognized the subject as one of common interest
to the whole population, and have taken the
forests under their protection. To this COM
plexion we shall also probably be forced to
come at last
The power of forests to attract the precipi-
tation of moisture, we may add. is modified
and to q much greater extent than is gener-
ally supposedly the character OF the trees.
The experiments which have been made In
France show that the rainfall Is much more
abundant, and the springs and streams much
larger, in regions where the forests are of de-
ciduous trees, than where they are evergreen.
Some observers even assert that o spring will
dry up If a grove of coniferous trees be planted
around It, We notice, In this country, that
| the pine will flourish in very dry, sandy soil
but we have not considered whether the pine
may not be partly responsible for the dryness.
In Virginia, and parts Of the other older
States, the native forests of oak, hickory, and
/ other deciduous trees are succeeded by spon-
taneous growth of pine. If the latter be not
actually drouth-creating, it is certainly far
more infammable, and the prevention of a
change in the character of our forests may be
no unimportarr 'tep. We can only, at present,
suggest the subject to our readers. It's vast
Importance, and the imminent necessity of
some form of action, need no discussion.