The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-25


Some comfort may be derived by the |
people of the Middle and Western StN8es |
that are now sweItering in the heat Of q !
terrific July sun from the nope that their |
suffeTings may add something to the stock |
of human knowledge
Trained observers Of the Department of
Agriculture are noting the temperature, |
the humidity and the general conditions
of the soil, air, and crops for the purpose
of making scientific deductions The pres
eut hot spell is regarded as exceptionally
favorable for sucn observations. The
residents of Phoenix. -.riz-: Kansas City
Indianapolis. and other places where the
heat IS above the normal at this time ma =
be made to realize that unless scientists
err these same residents are to some de
gree responsible for the heat.
Exhaustive researches conducted by tie
Bureau of Forestry tend to prove that
the extremes Of heat and cold in the Mid
die Western States are largely due TO the
destruction of the forests. Given wood
ed country where certain temperatures
prevail and the same country denuded OF
its timber and the result is that condi-
lions change. All observations of scie1-
tific men who have studied forest meteor
oIogy tend 20 establish the fact that aside
ence of forests has upon the temperature
of the surrounding country they help to
prevent extremes Of temperature
While the Department of Agriculture
has made this subject one OF scientific
enquiry only within recent years and be
cause of the vast area Of the United
States the data are yet so meagTe that
absolute conclusions cannot be announced,
the firm belief is entertained that the
. destruction of the forests is largely re
sponsible for the changes in climate
+ which are so noticeable to the Oldest in
habitants Of the Middle Western States
Desultcry enquiries into this subject
have entertained the scientific minds of
Europe for several hundred years FeT-
nando Columbus. son Of Christopher Co
lurnbus. attributed the heavy rainfall of
Jamaica 20 its wealth Of forests and the
F decrease Of rain on the Azores and Cana
( ries to the removal OF their forests In
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
the Government of France took up the
! subject and traces of a governmental in
tercst in the question are even found as
far back as CharieIaagne's immediate
successors
In the American investigation two
methods have been employed-the his
torical and experimental The first is
lists as more or less unreliable owing TO
the, lack of definite information as to con
ditions which existed prior to the middle
oF the last century, when the work of oh
servation was begun IN d systematic man
ner and conducted simultaneously in most
OF the European countries. For this rea-
son they discard the conclusions that in
certain parts of Europe now deforested
the climate has materially altered with
the disap earauce. of the trees and confine
I themselves to the results OF current and
/ systematic observations
A series of such observations was com
piled by the Weather Bureau. In each
case two stations were taken. situated as
nearly as possible Oh the same parallel
Of latitude-one in wooded region and
one not. They were located in the Mid
/ die West and included Little Rock, Fort
Sill. Fort Smith Fort EIlicott, Bismarck,
Fort Assinniboine and others InvaTia-
bIy the mean annual temperature was
found to be lower at stations In wooded
districts than those on the plains The
temperature at the former never rose so
high in the summer or fell 50 low in the
winter as at the latter
Whether this fact IS directly and sole
" due to the presence of the forests Is
not yet definitely determined The sci
enlist who made the observations re-
. marks;
1T appears. therefore, that wooded dis
; tricts have an advantage in temperature
over treeless areas. The forests lower the
mean temperature slightly and also cut
; down the range"
Similar observations by DR. Woeikoff
and others in connection with thu climate
4 Of India show that in the open terrific
/ " the mean temperature for the year was
/ from / to II degrees higher than for in
, / terrnediate stations and 10 to Il degrees
higher than for the stations in the heavi-
/ " wooded districts
/ Forests have an influence in diminish
ing the heat first in preserving the moist
ure Of the soil; second. By evaporation
{ from the leaves third, by protecting the
Z streams and their sources: fourth, by alb
+ sorbing the carbon in the air although
in relatively minute particles and, final
". bv acting as windbreak There
} seems to be no doubt that the character
} of the climate in the Western States is
changing rapidly and that it is indirectly
due to the changing forest conditions
> Il do not know exactly what direct fl
4uence the presence or absence Of for
; ests has on the climate" said Secretary
. / Wilson today. but know this-tEat tn
: devastation of the ranges is resulting IL
the growth OF the III III tetti'AS VI 'iAN "
> that these arid lands cannot be irrigated
for lack Of water, and that the lack o
: water is partly due to the destruction o
| tho forests at the sources of the streams
! I know. further, that the corn is not tn
: fned by the heat for injury from tina
: source can he prevented. but nothing CA
: ! withstand the breath of The hot WIND
: which sweep from the arid lands ant
: vyitber-ves. actually burn uP-the corr
And as the arid lands increase II IS Tea
so,aIl4 10 believe the hot winds viii in
= crease
: 81 may say further that the forests &C
90. -,.ir5breaks aud prevent the passage O
: hot winds in the summer and cold wind
: IN the winter. thus tending To reEu,at
and moderate the temperature at all sea
sons As far as the farmer is conce-ne
: h. can protect his corn against the heat
he will Heat does not cause evaporation
! AZ is shown by our experiments with rails
: ing Sumatra tobacco under canvas i
= connecticut Here the temperature Wa
: 10 degrees higher under canvas than out
side and Vet the moisture in the air wa
Ias- What the farmer needs is to wor
: 5;IirsrtIv on a dust mulch. 1t Is imposs
bIe for him to cover his corntield wit
: canvas. but he can, by constant blowing
: ! form, a Garnet Of dust three inches deer
which viii prevent evaporation of mois
trra from the soil underneath, and the
: his corn can stand anything but III
: Z hot yg.inHC