136 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION March 



forests act as a filter and purifier of The statements of Professor Swain- 



the air. We pollute the air by manufac- regarding the loss of water power by 



turing; forests regenerate the air and reason of forest denudation were ably 



make it pure. corroborated by Mr. Allen M. Schoen,. 



Mr. MacFarland also spoke on the an electrical engineer, whose experi- 

 connection between floods and typhoid ence has been in the South along the 

 fever. Floods wash into a stream the rivers which have their source in the 

 debris and refuse from a wide belt Appalachian watershed. Protection 

 along the banks which normally are of forests is especially needed there, 

 not reached by the waters of the since there are no lakes to hold the 

 stream ; and such diseases as typhoid water for use during the dry season, 

 fever are thus disseminated. The Lively interest marked the able ad- 

 fewer forests, the more floods, and dress of George K. Smith, of St. 

 the greater the danger of epidemics. Louis, secretary of the National Lum- 



He also referred to the beneficial in- ber Manufacturers' Association, and a 

 fluence of forests in stamping out the director of the American Forestry As- 

 great white plague, and spoke of the sociation. Mr. Smith advocated tak- 

 restoring influence of the forest on the ing a census of the timber cut and of 

 mind of man. the standing timber, and he further 



Dr. Rothrock, of Pennsylvania, was said that lumber operations will be 



enthusiastically called to the platform curtailed this year as compared with 



for the second time, and said that we the last two years, 



should utilize the forests for the peo- In the absence of Governor Hoke 



pie. We should invite them to the Smith, of Georgia, Mr. S. B. Smith, 



forest and let them call it theirs. We of Chattanooga, told of the legal dif- 



should open the reservations to the ficulties which made it impossible for 



sick for health and recreation. the State of Tennesseee to control for- 



Prof. George F. Swain, of the Mas- est destruction, so that the work must 



sachusetts Institute of Technology, necessarily be done by the Federal 



Boston, said that he had left his pa- Government. 



per at home, and consequently was in An enthusiastic reception was ac- 

 the predicament of the missionary who corded Mr. William L.. Hall, assistant 

 stated that because of a similar mis- forester of the Department of Agri- 

 chance he could use only the words culture, who had charge, for the de- 

 God would put in his mouth, but partment, of the heavy work of sur- 

 hoped next time he would come bet- veying the proposed Appalachian and 

 ter prepared. Professof Swain said White Mountain National Forests, as 

 that the timber question was of more authorized by the last session of Con- 

 importance than the Panama Canal, gress, with regard to their commer- 

 and he spoke of the influence of for- cial importance, their area and con- 

 ests in regulating the stream supply, dition, the advisability of their pur- 

 He said that by reason of the denuda- chase, and their probable cost. Mr. 

 tion of the forests on the White Moun- Hall gave a very interesting account 

 tain watershed, the water power in the of the work he has accomplished, and 

 New England streams had become in- of its bearing upon the proposed legis- 

 suflicient to run the mills ; and that 95 lation. At the conclusion of Mr. 

 per cent, of the water-power factories Hall's remarks there was great ap- 

 and manufacturing plants have to use plause. 



steam at certain times of the year or Prof. Henry S. Graves, director of 



quit running. With proper forest pro- the Yale Forest School, made an in- 



tection the stream flow would be suf- teresting address and called attention 



ficient all the year round. Professor to the growing need of education 



Swain also spoke of the loss of soil along forestry lines. 



by washing away after the trees are The Association was favored with 



removed. an entertaining talk by Clinton Rog- 



