The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-03-25

As supply Of fuel, and so for the comfot
of man and the prosecution OF various III
du>tries. is to be considered. We must
not forget that the coal, which is simpl'
the surplus forests of former ages store
up and provided for our Use will som,
time be exhausted, and there is 40 MOI
/ coal to be formed. Ultimately. then.
far is We can NOW see. the world must
back tn the forests for It's fuel for the p':
poses OF domestic warmth. aud the nee,
oil the various arts and manufacture.
Already England is calculating VIII,
alarm the date, not very distant, whe
her coal mines will be exhausted, and he
fuel must be to a great extent importes
from other countrits.
Looked at. therefore, in this aspect
the case. We see that Il country can nos
continue to be populous nor highly civ
lzed when its forests, or their ,qniva!e'
in coal. are lost Ia it, But this loss H..
been experienced by many nations. T.
whole Eastern wnri,l, as well as the cou,
tries of which We have spoken, was one.
well wouded. The Roman and Gree
writers assure us of this. But vast II
gionS of Europe aud Asia, by wars ala
wantonnesS and impfudence. have bee
stripped Of their forests. \ belt Of woes.
Land stretching ircm the PNrcnccs to H.
iIima'ayaS has been swept away. al
that " hole region. once fertile and pu,
iluus. now bare J su>tans a people sea :
i'll numbers. 1t j, i significant fact IT,:
great deserts new occupy the origins
seat of the human race. and extend oI
every route of their misra!inns.
Humboldt is reported as saying: Ne:
in all climates seem to bring upon futur
generations two calamities at once
want Of fuel and scarcity of water.
the two come alike from the destruction
of the forests. as little consideration
will show.
The Importance Of water for snccrsSn'
agricultural operations has always bee:
understood. Ii is only within crmpar;
lively recent period, however, that IT,
relations of the forests tn the water SUI
plv and its distribution have been asce,
tanned. and they are not fully uudelst"r'
even now. Z ,oush is known. neverth,
less. to warrant some very important COZ
cuSio It is we'll established that til
iur<sts. except in winter. is cooler thu:
the open ground. There will naturaI
therefore. he more condensation and pi.
cipitatIon of the moisture of the atm,t,
pierre in a wooded re zion than in one de
titute OF tIerS. Ihe lower temperate
of the woods will also make itself iclt /,
some distance above the trees. and ten,
to preciptate the moisture Of the highe
air. Then. also. without making an
| thing of somewhat extended popula
belief that the forests. especially whe
situated upon hills and mountains, draw
the clouds and the rains. we can see thu
elevated forests would act as an impedi
mcnt to passing clouds. and Ivy their yer
| obstruction tend to cuudense their moi.
| turc and cause its precipitation. Thi
effect of the forests will not be Unite
| to their own area. but will extend mon,
OF less to the open ground beyond them
causing the rain to fall upon them for :
| considerable distance, " hen but for tl
vicinity o! the forest they might n.
have been touched b. it. An cminen
scientific writer states that in A regiol
near the Gulf of GnaSaqnil. which i.
covered with immense forests the rain
are almost continual. SO on the Islam
! of 81 Helena we have the double pro-
| OF our problem i'll the ascertaincd fac
| that with the cutting of. some time ago
of the forests with which it abounded
the rains we've les med, aud ccrtai
crops greatly diminished. and now. i,
later yeaIs as the woods have been al
lowed 20 grow again, the rains hav: in
creased in proportion. Sir John llersche
spcakin. OF this subject. says: This il
no doubt one o! the reasons of tie
extreme aridity of Spain. The hatred OF
| a Spaniard toward tree is proverbiaI
Many districts in France have been ma
trrially injured by denuda,ion. and, O,
the other hand, rain has become more
frequent in Egypt since the more vigor-
ons cultivation Of the palm-tree. Th.
island of Santa Cruz. near Santa Earhi,
h,a..y 4 ti,nh.raA aud
tanned q dense population. Now it is al
most destitute Of trees, except on The
highest SUBMITS. 1t has no water. and
is impp>s bic says one, ito conceive \
more drcarv waste"
(rO BE COSTIyUED.)