FORESTS AND FRUIT-GROWING. i 99 



The Count against Forests. 1. Unfavorable to the free circula- 

 tion of the atmosphere in summer-time ; in this respect the influence 

 of the forest is directly the opposite to that of an adjacent body of 

 water. 2. Imparting moisture to the atmosphere, whereby, under 

 certain conditions of the weather, the heat may become too great for 

 the good of growing fruit. 3. Causing an occasional late frost in the 

 spring. 4. Affording a harbor for birds and birds'-nests. This is no 

 small consideration in some localities, where birds have to be slausrh- 

 tered by the ten thousand to save certain kinds of fruit, as cherries, 

 blackberries, and Delaware grapes. I speak advisedly, being well 

 aware of the sentimentalism against which I offend. Some kinds of 

 birds are, of course, only innocent and useful. I make no charge 

 against them (nor against the forest which protects them). Let them 

 live and sing ! But, that birds which prey so remorselessly on fruits 

 destroy insects enough to pay for the fruit they waste and consume, is 

 very improbable, and we let the count stand against the trees and 

 bushes that shelter them. 



The Count in favor of Forests. 1. Usually equalizing the tem- 

 perature between night and day during the summer-season uniformi- 

 ty of temperature being a condition which is favorable to vegetable 

 development. 2. Equalizing the effects of rainfall by storing up the 

 waters to be given off gradually to the streams and the atmosphere, 

 thus favoring the development of most kinds of fruit. 3. Imparting 

 moisture to the atmosphere by transpiration through the leaves, and 

 thus profiting the fields in various ways during a drought. This moist- 

 ure may also contribute to the warmth of the atmosphere when 

 warmth is beneficial. 4. Intercepting the sweep of the winds, and 

 thereby lessening the mechanical injury to plants and trees, and 

 weakening the cooperation for mischief of wind and cold. As a screen 

 for protection against the wind, trees are not without appreciation, 

 and it is generally understood that, even if they imparted no warmth 

 to a cold wind passing through them, the mechanical resistance they 

 afford prevents it from taking the warmth so readily out of vines, 

 trees, and the soil. 5. Cooling the warm winds of winter and spring, 

 thereby keeping back vegetation out of the way of late spring frosts. 

 6. Warming the cold winds in winter. The last three on the list be- 

 ing by far the most important ; and by their cooperation they might 

 very easily, and often do, make the difference, at a critical time, of a 

 crop or no crop, as this often depends on a degree or two of tempera- 

 ture. 



It will be readily perceived that all the better influences of wooded 

 lands are of very much the same character as the influence of a body 

 of water. It is when these two classes of conditions meet in the same 

 locality that general fruit-growing has its best chances of success. 



What proportion of woodland should remain in the interest of 

 protection for agricultural and horticultural purposes, might be difficult 



