The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-07-03
TREES.
The Part that Forests Play In b Econom
of a Country.

The Part that Forests Play In the Economy
Of Country.
DR.. Warder, in his paper on Forestry,
read before the Social Science Associa-
ton the other day, speaking of the eli
matte influence of forests, said: "The
general storms of our country may be
dependent upon the relative contigura-
ton of land and water, as we'll as upon
the lines of elevations. These are con.
ditions that are arranged on a plan OF
grand proportions. They cove CONT
mental areas ; still, it may safely be as
serted that the fortunate or judicious
distribution of forests in prairie regions,
and eve on our great Western plains,
cannot fail to exert a controlling inhu-
ence of vast Importance and of greater
OF less extent. Certainly the local eli
mate will be affected by the woodlands,
which act upon it in the following man.
ner:
"First-by checking the force OF the
currents of Dir, woodlands will, IN a
great measure, prevent excessive eyapo+-
ration, and the moisture thus permitted
to remain in the soil will prove as valu-
able as an equal amount in rainfall.
"Second The forests are OF great
value in a similar way by the influence
of their shade, which prevents the fierce
rays of the sun from exercising an addi-
tional power in drying the soil by evap-
grafton. This has been fully demon
strated by the long continued expert
ments of Prof. Ebermeyer, of Bavaria.
"Third-The trees are of great value
by their agency in the same direction
through the action of their leaves, which
cause a more copious condensation OF
the atmospheric humidity than will occur
in closely adjacent lands bare OF such
vegetation. This fact has been album
dainty proved by the experiments OF the
same careful observer, whose results
have been confirmed by others.
"Fourth-It has been found, more
over, that the atmosphere within a
forest of some extent is always more
humid than that of open lands In the
same neighborhood. So also the TEN.
perature Of forests and of the soil itself
is always lower in summer and higher
in winter than that of the open lands,
cultivated or waste, the climate is rem
dered more equable.
"Fifth-Another very important mat
ter must be apparent to the most casual
observer, to wit: That the moisture pre-
cipitated on forest lands is in a great
measure retained and allowed to preco-
late quietly into the loose and mellow
soil, and even to reach the subsoil and
fssure rocks beneath. It's flow is OBJ
structed by fallen leaves, twigs, branches
and logs, by MOSES, roots and heritage;
whereas, the same amount of rain when
falling upon the compact turf of grassy
pasture or upon the bare surface OF
arabic lands, especially when the trees
are firmly trodden or frozen, will at once
flow off by every depression, carrying
with it the best elements OF the soil,
suddenly swelling the streams, and
eventually cutting the fields into fright
full gu)lies and chasms 80 as to destroy
their usefulness as farm lands.
"Sixth-Most especially is it import
ant to preserve forest growths upon de-
clivitous lands, hillsides and river banks,
particularly in those regions where our
streams take their source. Mountain
regions, emphatically those OF an Alpine
character, should be largely, nay, al.
most exclusively, devoted to forests, and
these should be sacredly preserved, tor
in this condition alone can such tracts OF
country most perfectly fulfill the des-
tiny for which they seem to have been
designed by and Advise Creator"