Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-01-28
FOREoTATioN AND MAIL

The Engineering Magazine, edited
by Mr.. John R. Dunlap, an old Wheel
ing newspaper man, who was at one
time connected with the Register,
shows sings of marked prosperity. It
is a publication that is valuable to the
practical world of engineering in
every branch and is interesting also
to the layman.
The current number contains very
interesting article in regard to "The
Relation of Forestation to Water Sup
ply" which contains some new anC
odd ideas The writer, Mr. H. NJ.
Wilson, says:
Viewed from purely sentimental stand
point the first inclination Of one who
considers the relation of forests to rain
fall is to believe that the cooling shade
of forests and the greater amout Of mois-
ture in the soil beneath them and in the
streams which run through them IS due
to a great rainfall in the neighbOrhood-
Few cons der that the existence of forests,
which require much water for their ma
turing is probably due to the natural
moisture of the localities in which they
are found. as in arid countries their alb
sence is due to the lack of water sufti-
the meteorologic bureau of India, states
that the heaviest known rainfall-that in
Assam-occurs over one Of the densest
known forests. and adds: But is is more
probable that the forest exists because Of
the rainfall than vice versa" There is
a mass of literature which attempts TO
duced by the forests, little of which is
founded on anything more than bare as
sertions.
To sustain his position Mr.. Wilson
cites pages of sta istics embracing al
most the whole world Speaking of
our own arid deserts he says:
Continued observations Of rainfall in
the western United States conducted over
portions of the treeless plains in the early
days of settlement and since Tree plant
ing has become common show no appre-
cable difference in rainfall. 1t is we'll
known that the cultivable area has moved
steadily westward. but this is not the re-
suit of increased precip tation, but of bet
ter methods of outstanding the moisture of
winds by means of windbreaks and
through making it more retentive of what
moisture falls on it by plouShlng and by
more intelligent methods of cultivation
The writer concludes that while
there is no positive evidence that for
ests have beneficial influence on pre-
cipitation, or any greater effect on the
flow of springs or the rate of run-off
than other forms of vegetation, there
remains a slight chance that it may
influence the last two processes. Ac-
cordingly, while there consequently
appears no good reason, so far as
water supply is concerned, for refrain
ing from the cutting of woods over re-
gions thereafter to be devoted to ag
riculture, there is a slight reason for
preserving forest-covers On such noun
tain slopes as are too steep for after
cultivation, lest they be washed bare
of soil and their influence on run-off
and spring SUPPLIES be seriously af-
fected."
Mr. Wilson's conclusion will be ap-
preciated in this part of the country
where hills and mountains and period
ical floods are the rule, whatever may
be thought Of his other deductions as
to the influence of forests on rainfall
While the forests may not attract rain
they certainly prevent it from sliding
down into the valleys as from a
smooth tin roof Therefore let us pre-
serve the forests.