Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-08-14
THE yotoK oF TIVE murE.
Graduating Essay OF TN eOdOre A
.s KtCBel. Pm, ~.

Ktesei, Pm. 10.
Thecd ore A. Klssel, tue deaf mute
teacher, returned TO WI miugtnn last
week from his trip down the State in
search OF deaf and dumb Children. He
found several such, the tffspriDR u POOR
parents, and be ia going to try 70 act
them into the National College for Deaf
Mutes, at Washington, Of which he is
himself a graduate aud In the primary
department OF which he 10 teacher. Mr..
Kiesel will go to Washington this week,
but will make brief visits 10 Wilmington
occasionally, hereafter.
Following Ia Mr.. Kiesel's graduating
essay, delivered at the national college,
on which occasion he took the degree Of
doctor Of philosophy:
The changes OF the earth have been
many and great, and have been In con-
slant action for uutold ages. The earth
first appeared in the form Of molten
ball surrounded by hot atmosphere
6lled with gases In the course Of thou
sands Of years Il was turned into
hardened globe divided into land and
water. With the land came plants and
vegetables, and next appeared animals
lhch OhuiH hEug W thh0 hOhAhiOh VNCA
the earth which had been prepared for
him-to subdue, cultivate, and improve
the ground.
The subsequent changes OF the earth
are partly due to causes over which we
have no control and partly due TO human
efforts. Let us look back few years and
notice the changes that our own country
has undergone by the labor oil man.
Where was once q traokless wilderness
with vast forests stretching in every
direction, we now have fields waving
with products OF agriculture /; we have
network Of railways spread over the
land and populous cities, the seats Of
manufacturing industry. The cultivated
parts Of England, which are now like a
beautiful garden, were once either tracts
Of dense forests or Of unsightly marsh.
As the number Of men multiplied on
the face Of the earth, they destroyed the
forests to make open fields for cultivation.
The destruction Of 80 many trees has
changed the condition Of the earth In
many ways.
Many species Of plants, trees and
extirpated by man, while others have
been transported to regions where they
did not before exist.
The changes are not all for the better.
Parts of Europe and Asia, which in the
prosperous period OF the Roman empire
supported a large population, have Iun
to waste and dissolution a. the effec. Of
war, tyranny and bad government.
By the destruction Of forests, the rain
fall is less and the extremes Of olins tie
are made excessive. Springs which an
abundantly when there were plenty o.
trees, have become dry by the removal Of
them. The rain that falls rams quickly
off in torrents and floods to the sea. Thus
the soil either becomes paIched and dry
or ia washed entirely away.
Man has played an important part In
enlarging the extent Of hAbitable land.
In consequence OF the destruction Of
forests, the erosion by running waters
has been increased, and the solid mstter
deposited In the sea has advanced the
coast line and diminished the area covered
by the waters. Much has been gained
by the drainage Of marshes, fens and
lakes and by bikes and levees on the
coast and along the banks Of rivers.
The skill Of man often devises means
of protection against foods which would
destroy millions OF dollars worth Of prop
erty. The annual floods of the Mississippi
and of the river Pc In Italy are restrained
by peans of levees erected along their
banks.
The most renowned feat performed by
man towards increasing his domain is
that Of the Dutch, by which 877, $40
acres of land, equal In area TO one tenth
Of the kingdom, have been added to the
Netherlands. This great amount OF ter
ritory has been obtained by system Of
bikes along the coast, which prevent
foundations that were 80 destructive to
life and property previous to the
eighteenth century. A striking illustrA-
ton Of the results obtained by bikes ia
seen in the two Islands Of Goeroe and
Over hakkep, which in the fifteenth CEN
tury contained together All area Of 10000
acres. But, by the perseverance and
indefatigable energy Of the Dutch, the
two islands were ultimately made one,
with an area Of $4,000 acres, equal to six
times the original area of the islands
together.
An immense tract of land comprising
Al, 200 acres was gained by the drainage
OF the HARLEM lake, which lay between
the cities OF Amsterdam and Lsyden.
Land which would BE- otherwise barren
has been brought by man into an excel
lent state of cultivation by irrigation.
Places where people could not live on &C.
count Of the excessive amount Of damp
ness in the soil, and in the air, have by
drainage been made habitable and
healthy.
The climate in the country through
which the Suez canal passes, was hot and
dry. The soil could produce nothing for
want of moisture. The construction Of
the canal has been the mssns of watering
the country. The soil ia now fertile and
productive and grassy banks exist where
burning sands were before.
The province Of Tuscany inItaly affords
an important illustration Of changes
wrought on the surface Of the earth by
man.
The Val. di-Chisna is an irregular valley
from two to five miles in breadth by &C
miles in length. It lies between two
parallel mountain chains on the east and
west, and Ia bounded on the north by the
river Anro, and on the south by the
PRglis, q small branch Of the Tiber.
This country, in former times, con-
tanned numerous population, judging
from the ruins Of ancient hsbitations
which are not unfrequently discovered.
The Chiapa river once wendell its way
through the valley to the Tiber, but
owing to causes that cannot be Asoer
tanned, the once swiftly flowing stream
became marsh, that breed pestilence,
disease and death. The only record Ii
that the Val.di-Chiana about the year
1895 began TO be unhealthy. MalariI
spread with alarming rapidity. Houses
and homestesds were deserted. The
country, which was once green will
waving grain, began in a short time t
be a barren waste. Weeds and watei
plants sprung up on all sides. Neither
man, beasts, nor birds Of the air could
dwell in this place, for death came to al
/ alike. ..--
To reclaim and dry this tract Of couu
try became problem for the best en-
gineers and msthemsticisns Of the age
Plan after plan was brought forward ant
discussed but none could be devised
that would not involve greater expens