174 DISCUSSION OF THE DESICCATION QUESTION. 



justify him in stating, at least, that the change brought about within forty 

 or fifty years in regard to the comparative areas of forestrcovered and 

 nnwooded country in Southern New Englani] is very great. This period 

 of forty or fifty years is insisted on, because the observations for rain-fall 

 taken in this region go back just about as for as that. If, then, disforesting 

 a country is followed by a marked decrease of the precipitation in the region 

 cleared of its trees, we ought to find some evidence of the foct in the case 

 of Southern New England. The statistics, as given by Mr. Schott for numer- 

 ous stations Avithin the area specified, do not, however, in the least indicate 

 any diminution * of the rain-full during the past half-century ; on the con- 

 trary, the conclusion is reached that, for the Atlantic sea-board, fiom Maine 

 to Virginia — this area forming Group!, of Mr. Schott's division of the whole 

 country into climatologically allied regions — an increase of raiu, on the 

 average, since 1835, is "distinctly indicated." A similar condition of things 

 is reported for the adjacent region of New York, where also, as well as in 

 Southern New England, very extensive clearings have been made during 

 the past fifty years. 



These results are more valuable, inasmuch as the average annual rain-fall 

 within the region in question is not very large, and it could not be consider- 

 ably diminished without disastrous effects. The precipitation at Providence, 

 for instance, from which place we have one of the longest and best series of 

 observations which has been made in New England, the average from 1832 

 to 1867 Avas 41.51 inches, with a prett}' regular distribution, the amount 

 never falling below thirt}', or rising above fifty-five, inches. A diminution 

 of this amount to the extent of one third would undoubtedly have very 

 serious consequences, while taking off ten or fifteen inches from the rain-fall 

 of a region where the annual average was over a hundred inches would prob- 

 ably not be perceived at all, except as instrumentally recorded. 



Under any circumstances, our own country does not furnish, in any part 

 of its vast area, any support to the theory that removing the forests brings 

 about a condition of barrenness and desolation. No one would say that any 

 portion of New England had become barren or desolate, or had been ren- 

 dered any less capable of supporting a dense population than it was at the 

 time of the arrival of the first English-speaking people upon its shores. 



It has been supposed by some that the idea of a diminished rain-fall as a 



* The observations used by ilr. Schott go back, in the case of one station, to the year 1804 ; records, how- 

 ever, soon began to be kept at additional points, and the number increased rapidly from 1830 on. 



