The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1908-12-10

would have to pass before soil would
again collect, or could be made to
collect, in sufficient quantity once
more to support the old-tme forest
growth. In consequence the Mongol
Desert is practically extending east
ward over northern China, Tue eli
mate has changed and still changing.
WORK OF DESTRUCTION
HAS BEEN CONSuNlATED
And II has changed even within
the last halt century, as the work OF
tree destruction has been consum-
mated, The great masses Of arboreal
vegetation on the mountains former
ly absorbed the heat OF the sun and
sent up currents Of cool air which
brought the mol5ture-laden clouds
lower and forced them to precipitate
In rain a part OF their burden OF
water. Now that there is n ovegeta-
ton, the barren mountain, scorched
by the sun, send up currents OF heat
ed air which drive away instead OF
attracting the rain clouds, and cause
their moisture to be disseminated In
consequence, instead Of the regular
and plentiful rains which existed in
these regions Of China when the for
ests were stlll in evidence, the unfor-
tunate inhabitants Of the deforested
lands now see their crops wither for
lack Of rainfall, while the seasons
grow more and more irregular; and
as the air becomes dryer certain
crops refuse longer to grow at all.
That everything dries out faster than
formerly is shown by the fact that
the level OF the wells all over the
land has sunk perceptibly many of
them having become totally dry, In
addition to the resulting agricultural
distress the watercourses have chang
ed. Formerly they were narrow and
deep, with an abundance OF clear wa
ter the year round; for the roots and
humus of the foresets caught the raj
water and let it escape slow, regular
seepage. They have now become
broad shallow stream beds, in which
muddy water now trinkles in slender
currents during the dry seasons while
when it rains there are freshets, and
roaring torrents come tearing down
bringing disaster and destruction
everywhere, Moreover, these floods
and freshets which diversity the
general dryness, wash away from the
mountain sides, and either wash
away or cover the valleys, the rich
fertile soil which it'took tens OF thou
sands of years for Nature to form /;
and It is lost forever, and until the
forests grow again 1t can not be re-
placed. The sand and stones from
the mountain sides are washed loose
and come rolling down to cover the
arabic lands, and in consequence,
throughout this part Of China many
formerly rich districts are now sandy
wastes. useless for human cultivation
and even for pasture. The cities
have been of course seriously affected
for the streams have gradually ceas-
ed to be navigable. There is testi-
mony that even within the memory
OF men now living there has been a
serious diminution OF the rainfall OF
northeastern China. The level Of tn,
Sungari river in northern Manchuria
has been sensibly lowered during the
last fifty years, at least partly as the
result OF the indiscrlminate cutting
Of the forests forming its watershed.
Almost all the rivers OF northern Chi
ma have become uncomfortable, and
very dangerous to the dwellers along
their banks, as direct result Of
the destruction of the forests. The
journey from Pekin to Jehol shows
in melancholy fashion how the soil
has Been washed away from whole
valleys, so that they have been con-
verted into deserts.
TOO LATE TO REMEDY
CONDITIONS IN CHINA
In northern China this disastrous
process has gone on so long and has
proceeded so far that no complete
remedy could be applied. There are
| certain mountains in China from