Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-10
FOREST PRESERVATION.
IT'S INFLUENCE UPON CLIMATE
AED S'rORHS.
The Duty Incumbent Upon the
State and Individuals to Protect
and Promote Tree-Growing.

distinctly that a number OF years ago such
an idea was entertained by the editor of
one of the papers here, viz; that the under
brush following the cutting down of the
trees is even more dense, covering the
ground far more completely than before.
If. therefore, the second growth comes as
thick as the hairs on dogs back" as the
correspondent Of the Grass Valley Tdings
will have it, it by no means signifies that
the demands Of nature are fully satisfied.
There is q very important function the
tree cannot perform, owing TO not having
reached the higher stratnms CT the atmos-
phere, because OF It's yet short stature, and
that is, to eliminate electricity. These trees
act as so many millions of lightning-rods
in the higher elevations of orr mountains,
withdrawing the positive electricity from
the air and barmlessiy without sound con-
Quoting it into the ground.
Why is it that in nearly all cases cyclones
and similar phenomena of nature have
their beginning in lat, treeless oountry 2
To any one having a slight knowledge of
FRACTIONAL, static or atmospheric electricity,
it may be explained by the use of the
electrical machine If you offer a sharp
ductor OF al electrical machine there will
be no spark visible excepting q faint light
in dense darkness, nor is there any audible
discharge, as would be the case if q globu-
lar metallic bodV was brought in close
proximity as the spark flashes through
SPACE from the conductor to the body Of
fered and in connection with the earth.
The reason is, the points gather up the
generated electricity silently, and if con-
nec.ed with the ground through good
conductor, you have simply the function
of the hghtning-rod in atmospheric cleo
tricity, which conveys the most gentle and
the greatest force Imaginable harmlessy to
the ground. II the conductor however, is
bad, or insufficient, the danger to the
building is certainly greater than being
without these safeguards.
If your trees are cut down you have a
phenomenon analogous to that of the
Frauklin's pans (Or Leyden hask), which,
if you connect one side with the electrical
machine, the other with the ground, and
annexing two metallic balls with each side,
certain distances apart, outside of the glass,
away from the tin foil, will send, when
the machine ia reyolved, sparks or flashes
from one ball to tho other-the one an
nexed to the machine producing the pos
tive. while q corresponding quantity is
stored up from the earth, being termed
negative electricity. When discharge has
taken place, the forces stored up and iso-
lated have been united. If the distance is
near, the report and flash are mild, but be-
come correspondingly greater when the dis
lance Is increased and then We may have
artificial lightning if we utilize sufficient
surface in storing, producing thunder and
lightning on small scale, but yet powerful
enough to kill man or animal instantly, or
at least deprive them of locomotion for q
brief space of time.
If the higher elevations become treeless
these forces will manifest themselves
sooner OF later. This is almost now an
ISSUED fact, believed il all civilized coun-
tries. The assertion that in tiye or six years
trees may have sprung up does not hold
good in all localities, for it must require
centuries before a hight is attained Of those
cut down which had their source n some
assure of the rocks.
Someone writes about Lake Tahoe thus,
in 1892: The outlet of this lake is known
as Truckee river, passing through noun
tains, through which the constant force OF
water during the ages has cut its channel,
and which was aud is almost solid rock.
On either side of the river, up to the
highest points, the trees have and
are being cut down, leaving
nothing but the waste and rocks
by which they were surrounded and from
which they grew. The logs are forced by
devices direct into the low river, to be
Aoated TO assigned places fer cutting IN at
sawmills and the refuse OF the mills,
as sawdnst, is all passed into the river
to pollute it. From the town of Truckee to
the lake, some fifteen miles by stage route,
on either side CT the river the trees are thus
disposed of, in some localities not tree
remaining, and in less than three years the
NIL ha oil "
These trees have nearly all their roots i'm
bedded in the cavities of the rocks, and in
fact spring or grow right cut of them"
1t may puzzle some people how these
trees can exist, bat it must be obvious to
most that it required centuries. in their
naturally slow growth, to have acquired the
size which they attained when cut down.
If they are of the proper size all are sacri-
feed, and the barren rocks, decaying
branches or the charred remains OF trunks
and branches. stare one in the face, repre-
senting perfect chaos OF disorder This
statement may be overdrawn or not, but
as ! have visited the vicinity of Lake Ia
hoe myself can testify that there is much
truth in it. Wherever the trees were cut
down little or no water found its way into
the lake about the middle Of August.
One of the earliest of our scientific men
on this coast was State Geologist Whitney,
who pointed out the dangers in the de-
struction of our forests in the higher eleYa-
tons Of our mountains. His lecture de-
Iivered in the Assembly Chamber ought TO
be remembered by our older citizens OF
Sacramento, also the evening lectures de
lvered at the Congregational Church by
Rev. Mr.. Benton sfter his return from Asia
Minor and Palestine. The forest % OF
Lebanon would not exist were 1t not for
the pressure OF Germany. England and
other great Powers. There is sand, sand
everywhere where once milk and honey
flowed, and the cause is known to be the
denuding of the forests, acknowledged by
every intelligent person all over the world
ct present.
Unless the writer is laboring under q
mistake be never remembers storms and
cyclones when boy and young man in
Ohio, similar TO those reported in our dis
patches, and taking place frequently at this
epoch. Is there no cause for it7
Next 10 the hydraulic and irrigation
questions there is no more important mat
ter before the people of this valley or the
State than this forestry Question and in
spite OF pooh-poohiDg, the time will come
when it must be considered very seriously
Even hydraulic mining would have to suf-
fer eventually if permitted to be continued
by the State and Government OF the United
States. and if discontinued, and the waters
used Tor that purpose be utilized for irriga-
ton purposes, must not that suffer equally
rs much if no check is placed on the de
struction commenced against the forests2
Americans on an average have but q
vague knowledge or idea how much atten-
ton is paid toforests, and how jealously the
trees are watched or guarded in other civ
ilized countries. The man wantonly de-
stroying a tree belonging to the State Gov
eminent, would, If guilt is proved, receive
punishment, with hard labor, at least sew
eral years. Since 1871 the writer visited
Europe three times, and knows of what
he speaks where it concerns Germany and,
to certain extent, France. where he saw
the forest exhibitions during the Exposi-
ton in Paris. But IL is Germany who pays
the most attention to this science. and peo-
pie are trained and study the science as q
profession, so when appointed as officers
for such positions as foresters, they must
be fit for the position, as the Government