The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-02-08
FOREST AND RAIN
A Paper By Prof. Scott On This
Live Topic.
"A THEORY OF COLUMBUS
Observation in the West Indies,
Conclusions of Scientists-The
Study i'm Hawaii.


evening at the home of Chief Justice
Judd. There was a large and repre-
sentative attendance. Prof. M. M.
Scott, principal of the High School
read the paper and led the discussion.
This is portion of his contribution to
the literature on Forests and Rain
fall":
In his great work, ''The Earth as
Modified by Human Action Mr..
Marsh says the belief that there is a
connection between forests and rain
fall was first attributed to Columbus.
In history of Columbus and his dis
coveries published in Venice in 1871,
by an anonymous author, it is stated
that Columbus observed the coming
up of showers about vespers every
day in the West Indies, and thought
it due to the great primeval forests
observing that like conditions former
ly prevailed in the Azories, but after
the Portuguese cut down the forests
in the latter Islands, the daily show
ers ceased. Humboldt also in his Cos
mos notes this opinion of Columbus.
Marsh may be correct in so far as
recorded opinion on the literature of
the subject is concerned, but it is high
ly improbable that the ancients failed
ITO observe the easily noticed facts of
the drying up of streams, consequent
upon the cutting down of forests on
| the mountain Sides 1t is, further
more, highly probable that this should
have been attributed to a diminished
rainfall-the easiest and most primi-
| tive method of accounting for the
| facts, that forests promote, and that
| denudatlon retards precipitation is
certainly widespread opinion,
| among both the instructed and the un-
| instructed. This, however, may be
one of those notions so common about
the most ordinary facts, in trying to
| account for which all are deceived.
| Whatever may be the truth in the
matter, the opinion is prevalent every
where. In Japan, | found it strongly
instructed among all classes. In the
Hundred Lams of Iyeyam, it is made
| obligatory upon him who felled tree
to plant tree, not alone for beauty
and for the utility of the timber, but
to assume sufficiency of rain. Are
there any we'll attested records, with
| instruments of scientific precision, ex-
| tending over periods of sufficient time,
to show without doubt, that refores-
| tation diminishes and afforestation in
| creases rainfall? Marsh says there
are not. There being none such is
merely negative, and is no proof either
way. The matter is SO inherently
difficult, | do not see how it is to be
settled. No one supposes, l presume,
| that a series of observations for a
number of years in a small forest and
then telling the forest and taking
other records for like series of years,
would determine the matter There
would be too many sources of error.
Besides, a small effort of this kind,
does not recommend itself If forests
promote rainfall at all, it seems to me
they must be of considerable, if not
wide extent, of sufficient extent to cool
down, or rather to keep cool, while
other and adjoining areas are heated
both land and surrounding air. Egypt
is often quoted as an example in which
tree planting has increased rainfall
In 1880, the Kedive, Mehemit Ali, caus-
ed to be planted 30,000,000 of trees in
Lower Egypt. In 80 years after, il
was reported that a large increase o.
rain was the result. A few years ago
in his travels through that country
Marsh made extensive and accurate
inquiries Of F'renchmen who had liveC
in Egypt before and after tree plant
ing, and he found no truth in the re
port as to the increase of rain. Simila
affirmations and denials come from
; Australia and from regions west of tn
Mississippi.
In a report on forests to the las
meeting of the Planters Association
is found the following, by Mr.. I
Forbes: There has been kept a cor
rect record of the rainfall at Kukui
} haele for the past y years, at tw
elevations, the last year showing bu
81 inches, at $50 feet elevation; Will
: in former years, from so to 100 inche
= was not considered unusual; and tha
t the opinion Of several men who hav
lived for go years in these district!
2 as well as the careful observations {
2 DR.. Guppy, go to show that the rain