After Logging. White Mountains, New Hampshire 



to the much-discussed papers of Pro- 

 fessor Chittenden and JNIr. Moore, he 

 said that they did not affect this case. 

 We do not favor forests on lands better 

 suited for cultivation, but on land that 

 is not suited for cultivation. The first 

 part of ^[r. Moore's report dealing with 

 the effect of forests upon rainfall is 

 comparatively imimportant because lit- 

 tle stress is laid upon this aspect of the 

 question by advocates of forest main- 

 tenance. Discussing the effect of for- 

 ests upon floods and erosion. Professor 

 Swain cited eminent German authori- 

 ties. He made it plain that this is a 

 matter that is dependent upon variable 

 conditions. Floods are due to rainfall 



and snowfall whicli are not determin- 

 able even b}- long series of observa- 

 tions. We are thus thrown Iiack upon 

 common observation and fundamental 

 principles. The regulative eft'ect of the 

 forest reservoir is upon average flood 

 conditions rather than on extremes. 

 That a great flood may sometimes oc- 

 cur in a forested country is no more a 

 reason for disregarding forest protec- 

 tion than is the occasional occurrence 

 of a great conflagration in our cities 

 a reason for discarding the usual lueans 

 of protection against fire. 



The speaker cited the French author- 

 ities Belgrand and A'alles in support of 

 forestation for the prevention of ero- 



135 



