The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-26

visit the forests OF the State whert
numbering operations are carried on
they will be convinced that the forest
areas Will remain in their primitive
condition for a brief period only.
Modern methods OF handling the logs
from the trees In the woods, and i'm
proved machinery for cut ting these logs
into lumber must, to be fully appre-
ciated, pass under personal inspection.
The silver mines OF Mexico and South
America by the old methods OF mining
appeared to be practically inexhaust-
ible. The ore was carried out Of the
mine on the shoulders Of poems who
climbed ladders contracted in the main
shaft Drifts and tunnels were cut
through the rocks by the patient pick
ing OF steel edges, unreinforced by the
terrible effectiveness Of modern explo-
sives.
A vast deposit of ore was found In
what was known as the Comstock Lode
on the side of Mount Davidson, in Ne
vada. Worked by these ancient
methods OF silver mining that lode con-
tanned ore enough to last Ave hundred
years, but 1t was exhausted in less than
twenty-five years. Dynamite, the dda-
mond drill, powerful steam hoistine
works. gigantic pumping plants, and
the intelligent direction of modern
mechanical forces brought a vast treas
ure Of precious metals from the heart
Of the earth, and accomplished In q
few years what in former times would
have been the task of centuries
We have case completely analogous
to this in the methods of decreasing
our timber lands
What the diamond drill and dynamite
We're to the boring of tunnels in the
bowels Of the earth the traction engine
is as an fundamentally for destroying
a forest. What the powerful hosting
works and pumping machinery were to
the Comstock Lode the modern band
saw is to the conversion of trees into
lumber.
The question arises, What does ths
destruction OF the forests mean? 1t
means in the first place the Inaugural
ton Of condition of aridity. II
means the diminution Of the annual
rainfall. 1t signifies the creation Of a
destructive torrential character in all
the streams Of the State. in the early
spring time, and the subsistence of these
floods to dry sand bars in the summer
and fall months of the year.
The forests are producers of rain II
the evidence was wanting to establish
this fact, it would be supplied to the
thoughtful mind in the obvious state
ment that rain produced the forest
Every effect Of every cause becomes
in its turn a cause. The dncipient fer
tflity of the earth produces vegetation
and the decomposition Of this yegeta-
ton reinforces the fertility in a con-
stantly augmenting ratio until tropica
luxuriance Of vegetation results. Thus
the original fertility as a cause is re,
inforced and augmented by the effect
1T produces.
But there are more obvious and les:
metaphysical reasons for attrfbutdng te
forests a reinforcement Of the annua
rainfall Precipitation results when 6
body Of saturated air passes from q
warmer to a colder condition. If a
body of air saturated to eighty degrees
at a temperature Of seventy-five de-
grees passes through a region where
by reason of local temperature Its tenn
perature descends to sixty degrees. tht
saturation rises beyond the point OF pre-.
cipdtation and rainfall results.
The reverse Of this is true. II body
of saturated air passes from colder
to a warmer condition, the air EXPANDS
and not only Is there no precipitation
but the air 10 in condition to take UP
more moisture. When Mr.. Harmon
presented hts very plausible theory con.
corning the influence OF the terpera-
To nS1y
rainfall on the western coast OF the
United States, it's strongest attribute OF
proba bility rested In the fact that high
temperature over the Japan current and
a low temperature over the land Were
conditions necessarily precedent to rain
fall For, this reason, when the Japan
current reached our northwest coast at
a high temperature rain was inevit-
able, because that temperature was
higher than the temperature OF the
land.
This well-known fact in meterological
science has application to the forested
condition Of country. Heat Is radiated
from the bare earth. Hence the tenn
perature over broad desert or arid
plain is much higher than that to be
found over a forested area. The rays
Of the sun shining on the forest are
not radiated to the extent observable
on an open plain. Hence the atmos-
phere over q forest region Is cooler. In
this condition bodies Of saturated air
passing over the forest will precipitate
the moisture they hold In suspension,
whereas in passing over the open plains
of an interested or deforested region
t,xyr~ off tho hf0-h
degree Of temperature which puts them
in condition to absorb rather than to
moisture.
If we can ina CINE the entire flank OF
the Sierra Nevada Mountains denuded
of forest and presenting bare rocks and
arid surfaces, such as would necessarily
be left by the aridity OF our summer
months the bodies OF saturated air
upon which we depend for rainfall dur
ing the rainy season would pass over
the interested portion Of the flank OF
the mountain, and but portion Of their
moisture would be precipitated in the
form Of SNOW at the submits. Thus the
annual precipitation which Is caught
and held in the soil OF the forest during
the rainy reason would pass on and over
the SUBMITS and as much as was re-
tanned would fall in the form Of SNOW.
The early spring and summer conditions
would meat this snow and the mountain
streams would become raging torrents
The San Joaquin and Sacramento
Rivers. the two great central drainage
channels Of the interior basins, would
present flood naxima far greater than
have ever been observed, and possibly
under present conditions
These flood waters would pass away.
The beds Of these streams would be
come dry. The local evaporation which