The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-27

Sll4CO O44 0OO1O Nv PSG \" ~ POJ
we learn that the large oil mill at
Charlotte has been added, and the
one at Concord is about to be, to the
list of those in the control of the
trust. This takes about all in this
State. d.
THE DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS AND THE
e WATER SUPPLY.
A Brief and Simple Statement Of Facts by
Mr.. z. W, Myers.
In D. short editorial note in The
Post of August d, concerning the
collection of certain statistics of
drought in former years, you state
that these show the longest period
of no rainfall TO have been.in 1852,
and ask What becomes of the
theory that the destruction of the
forests causes drought? In 1852 we
certainly had no lack of forest
growth in any section of this
try"
The advocates of forest protection
and preservation do not make the
claim that the forests T in any
way responsible for the quantity of
rain that falls, or that they have any
effect on it's distribution throughout
the year. Both quantity and distri-
button are the results of great at
mosperic movements in which the
forests have been proven to
have any influence.
In other words, the rainfall causes
the forests the forests do not cause
the rainfall.
The function of the forests is in
the retention of the rain after it has
fallen. The roots penetrate the
ground in every direction, making
it open and porous, and thus enable
it to absorb large amounts of water
and the fallen leaves cover the earth
with a spOngy mass which holds
back another portien. The storm
waters are held back from the
streams for a time and the freshets
rise so a less height and are in con-
sequence less destructive than would
be the case otherwise. Moreover,
the water thus retained by the for
est5 is protected from the action of
the sun and so a much greater guam
tity is left available to supply the
streams into which it gradually per
colates in time Of drought instead OF
swelling tho violence OF the floods.
Therefore the streams do not fan so
low as they would II evaporation had
Iull play. ,
The preservation OF the forests
cannot protect the felds from
drought. 1t can protect them from
damage by food. .
1t cannot change tbs absolute uuau-
tity of the rainfall, but it can cause
IA larger quantity OF water to flow in
the streams IN time of drought, and
thus enable the miller to operate his
mill TO a capacity greater than could
be obtained other wise, and it can
protect it against damage by flood
waters by restraining their violence.
E. w. Myers, photographer N. c..
Geological Survey, in Raleigh Post.
AWashington dispatch says: Mr..
Frank E. Emery, the special expert
of the Dairy Division of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture, has just re.
turned to the United States from q
trip to China, Japan and the Philip
puue islands, here be was sent at
the INSTANCE ~ the Caief Of the Di-
vision, for the purpose 1T obtaining
for the United States a demand for
its dairy products in the ORIENT. He
has also looked over the ground with
d view of extending the business of
this country in the dairy line there.
and from advices which he has sent
to the Department, it is hoped that
he will become a leading factor in
this line of work. As he will prob,
ably remain in San Francisco. where
he has just arrived ON an army
transports, it is probable that the
actual result of his labors will not be
given to the public for several
weeks.
Don't forget Rev. q. II Eduardo,