The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-05-15

surbing approach or collision with
celestial bodies,
1t is familiar geologic doctrine that
for years rains have fallen on the SUR
face and soils have been produced by
rock decay, while the surface has been
washed away, Soil-production and
soil removal have run hand in hand,
and yet so controlled by natures ad-
justments that no large part OF the
surface has been swept bare enough
to altogether exclude vegetation
More than this, il appears that the us
ual adjustments OF nature make rather
for increased fertility OF soil than de-
pletion. 1t is true that at times de-
formations have interviewed, giving
mountainous heights and precipitouS
surfaces from which the soil-product
has been washed faster than il could
be produced; and desert conditions
| have also intervened locally; but these
diastrophic effects are perhaps rather
rejuvenations necessary to the pre-
servation OF the continents than des-
tructive episodes, Whenever such
heights and slopes have been raised,
the atmosphere and its waters have at
once began to grade them down, to
cover them with soil and to give them
new habitability. So in this and
other ways, the gifts OF the great past
shape themselves as products OF a
marvellous system OF control that has
checked excesses and forced move
ment toward the golden means in
which have lain productivity and con-
geniality to life. Thus has come our
inheritance OF a land suitable for
vegetation, OF a soil-mantle of great
fertility, OF a precipitation conducive
to productiveness; OF system OF
streams endowed with great possibi-
lities OF water-foods, OF water power,
and of stream-navigation.
How shall we cooperate with nature
in rendering conditions still more SER
viceable to ourselves and our sue
cessors? Clearly we may use the pro-
per revenues of our inheritance, but
surely we should not rob our success
sors OF their share in it. To answer
this fundamental problem, let us turn
at once to the basal factors, rainfall,
soil-formation, and soil-wastage. The
rainfall is to be regarded as an inherit
ed asset; the soil is clearly an inher-
tied asset; even a littlt soil-removal
may be regarded an advantage, but
reckless oil-wastage is a serious err
ror. Soils are the product OF the at
mosphere and its waters modifying the
rock surface. When they have aided
the air in producing soil by rock de-
cay, the atmospheric waters may
either pass into plants or back to the
surface and out by evaporation, or
they may pass on down to the ground
waters, and thence into the streams.
there the basis for water
foods, Tor water-powcr, and for
stream-navigation Here is a good
work, soil-production, followed by adj
courses OF the water both
up and down. On the other hand, |
water may rush away as foul erosive
food on the surface, wasting soil and
plant food, gullying the surface, flood |
ing the valleys, filling the reservoirs,
sweeping out dams, barring the
streams and clogging the deltas. II |
it shall be found that nearly all the
rainfall should go into the soil, coming |
out thence slowly and steadily into
the streams, clean and pure, these
should present nearly ideal conditions
for Waterford, for water-power and
for stream-navigation. The ideal solu-
ton Of the soil problem may there
fore solve the greater part of the
whole complex of problems. The
may thus prove to be the
key problem.
To see this more definitely, we must |
turn to details, but with breyty and |
While soils are formed by
the atmosphere and its waters acting
Upon the rock, soil surfaces are car
-ied away by wind and wash. At any
moment, then the depth Of soil meas
1res the lag of production behind re-
noval, and it is clear that the best re-
suits spring from the proper ratio Of
at the bottom to wastage at
he surface.
We have no accurate measure Of the
ate of soil-production but it is clear
y very slow. While it varies directly
or different kinds Of rock and for
reduced rock, the usual es-
innate is foot in 1000 to 5000 years,
which includes channel cutting, etc.
THE &c do,ht1ecc too hio,b for coil |