Grand Canyon of the Gunnison from Above, Looking Down Toward the Head of the Tunnel 



Destruction of the Northern Forests, and Its 

 Effect on the Future of the Central States 



By ALEXANDRE ERIXON 



IT IS well known that the northern 

 section of the Central States east of 

 the Dakotas is the main source of 

 the Mississippi and St. Lawrence 

 rivers. It is also known that this sec- 

 tion was orig^inally covered by forests. 

 With reference to similar co-relation, a 

 writer on the subject says: "It is a 

 mistake to suppose that the water is 



the cause of the groves being there. On 

 the contrary, the groves are the cause 

 of the water being there." 



"In general the central parts of con- 

 tinents are likely to receive much less 

 rainfall than their peripheral portions," 

 says Shaler. The conditions, therefore, 

 of the Central States are such, that the 

 retention of existing moi.sture is essen- 



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