The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-10
THE FORESTS AND THE SOIL

MA R JAMES MCLEAN has addressed to Sec
+ rotary Wilson an open letter containing
considerable amount OF information gathered
from various sources concerning the effects in Cali
Ice Russia and elsewhere OF the destruction OF tor-
ess The subject is one OF vast concern to the peO-
pie OF the United States for forests have now
been destroyed to the danger limit and it is well that
intelligent should give heed to what the newt
able consequences will be.
The ruin OF Galilee occurred so long ago it IS dit
fcult to impress men OF our time with the lesson it
teaches. The steady sweep OF desOlatiOn over the
plains OF Russia, however, is going on in our own
time and even the most needless hardly be mat
cntive to II.
Famine follows famine with alarming rapidity in
parts OF Russia which fertile and flourish
ing and the cause is the blight brought about by the
destruction OF forests. Mr. Mclean quotes from
writer upon the Perjury OF Russia" in the Edin-
burgh Review, the following impressive statement OF
the cause OF the perjury:
Owing to the destruction OF the forests the rivers
are drying up and the eastern part OF the country is
literally being sanded up The ruthless forest de-
struction which has been going for long time
has had serious effect in reducing the average ram
fall The belts OF wood attracted and held the
moisture which was slowly distributed for the bene-
f: OF agrculture now, in vast regions as, for in
stance on the black SOIL there is hardly tree to be
seen and the consequence is that the underground
rivuets which nourished the soil have disappeared.
The forests also broke the force OF the fierce
desert winds Now these winds, piercngly cold in
winter and scorchingy hot in summer, burst with
full Jury on the great plains. In summer their blasts
are capable OF whitening the in few days, and
with them come sandstorms which turn fertile land
into permanent deserts. The unfortunate experience
Of Central Asia, which a garden OF fertility
and now is desert peoped by nomads only, is
peatng itself"
1t is hard saying to predict that the bountul
and proiuse soil OF California may yet be desolae
as the once fertile plains OF Central Asia, and yet it
is certain such fate will beall them the wasting OF
tie forests goes in the future in the past We
destroy forests much more rapidly than the people
Of any other country, OF any other age, for we
have brought to the work host OF mechanical inven
tons TO aid in the cutting and the wasting. More
over we are perhaps careless and reckless in
starting forest fires than any other people AS con
sequence the desoation which ages required 70
bring about in Russia may be wrought in California
within two or three generations.
1t is indeed impossible overestimate the value
OF forests for without them no land is fit for human
kabitaton. American intelligence is needed to put
check upon American waste greed and careless
ness in the destruction of woods If that check be
not applied with sufficient promptness and with suffi
cent force the future OF this country will be repe
tition of what is now going in Russia. There will
be perjury and famihes for time, then the stricken
populations will move away and over vast regions
OF this country, as in Central Asia, there will be
human habtations except the tents OF the nomadic
tribes that wander from place to place in search OF
/ andO