The herald., 1898-01-02
ArbOric

For q long time the United States of
America was the only civilized nation
without a forest system. While We are
still without any forest system in the
true sense of the word, the government
has made reservations for forestry pur-
poses of a very large portion of its pub
lie lands still remaining In forests and
has, consequently, fully commenced to
establish forest policy, In so far as Its
control of forest lands permits.
Forestry has grown up in European
countries and in Canada, Australia and
India from the experience of the dis
astrous results of undue denudation of
mountain water sheds. The fact is
thoroughly established that any noun
tain water shed from which the forests
have been entirely removed. changes
absolutely in the character of the deliv-
cry of the rainfall. From such de-
nuded water shed, the rainfall is de-
livered suddenly in the shape Of floods.
The rocks, sand and detritus are washed
down from the mountains and deposited
in the valleys. Within the past hun
dred years, we have number Of cases,
fully attested, in which deforestation OF
mountains has caused great damage
and permanent destruction to valley
lands In some cases the damage has
been done by destructive floods. by
water only; in other cases the damage
has been permanent through the de-
post of detritus. sand gravel, ETC.. upon
farming lands and their consequent
permanent destruction for agricultural
purposes.
Nowhere are the records more com
plete upon this point than in Southern
France. The damage resulting from
floods in this section has been so great
that the French Forestry department
has undertaken expensive and extensive
works for the reforestation of denuded
mountain water sheds and has also gone
to great expense in special works to
extinguish and control the torrential
action growing out of forest destruction.
Historically, we have before us the
elimination of extensive agricultural
areas from cultivation, due to desicca-
ton. destruction by torrents. and en-
croaching drift of sand washed down
from the denuded mountains.
RUIN WROUGHT BY DEFORESTA-
TON
We may cite especially the cases of
Carthage and it's formerly productive
Petra. large districts in Southern Greece
and throughout Central Asia. Only re-
Gently important ruins have been dis
covered in the district near Lake Lop-
Nor in Northern China, now entirely
surrounded by moving sand. The drift
of sand over lands. due to deforestation.
is particularly we'll illustrated on the
Llandes of Southern France. In this
district the pine forests were cut off and
the sand commenced to drift and en-
croach upon the agricultural country.
The French Forestry department under
took to stop this destruction and re-
planted the forest. The result was the
arrest of the sand movement. Besides
this, there is another effect growing out
of deforestation, 1t Is desiccation, pro-
excessively increasing, of the districts
affected. The rainfall flowing off sud
denly in floods is no longer there to sup
ply the springs and the springs neces-
: sarily diminish or dry up. These results
are so thoroughly attested that 1t is un-
necessary to go into extensive illustra-
tons. Throughout the civilized world,
, it is now an established policy to main
: tain mountain areas in forests. One
| feature of this policy is the guarantee
of a continuous supply of timber and
: wood.
THE CLIMATIC CHANGES
While it is not so well established, the
facts go to prove that dry winds increase
and that the rainfall is lessened or be-
comes more sudden and heavy in it's
fall and that the retentive power for
moisture Of the ground covered by hui
mus, as in forest, Is so much dimin-
ished by the destruction of the forest
, that the general climate becomes drier
and agricultural returns become less
certain. Experiments made in weigh
: ing ground or soil containing humus
y and that from which the humus has
been removed indicates the great moist
ure-hofding power of this forest waste
: In fact, our agrculturists now utilize
this knowledge by applying barnyard
manure much mixed with straw, not
only as fertilizer, but as means of
making the soil more retentive to the
water applied in irrigation. A small
dressing of this kind will markedly in
crease the power of the soil to take and
hold moisture and prevent what is
Q called packing"
All these matters are now pretty well
D recognized and 1t Is generally admitted
e that we should have and must have q
forest system. The question Is what
2 shall that system be. In the first place,
\ the forestry people of the United States
e agree that the ripe timber should be
used, but with proper restriction guar
!, anteeing the reproduction of forests.
0 Second, the mineral deposits within the
0 mountain forest reservations should be
e open to exploitation. Third, that the
= dominant consideration in all forest
s management should be the preserva-
8 ton of the water sheds to minimize the
e danger of floods and to guarantee the
q greatest possible supply Of the peren-
NAL flow of springs and streams.
: properly organized system on these lines
: can be made to pay net revenue into
I the government. 1t is not necessary that
the system should be costly. All 1t re-
o quires is judicious business man, &C.
n quainted with the needs and conditions
a of forest management, to outline q sys-