STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 1 63 



In tlic mcjijalilliic :»;^e, ii);in became, if he was not Ix-forc. a tciTa- 

 cukurist; for petrified heads of wheat, rye, and barley nre found buried 

 with these houses in swani])y jihiccs; hence it is proI)al>le at tliis period 

 commences the date of his reactionary aj^ency upon climate. To raise 

 the cereals, and to lind pasture for his llocks. lie had to clear awav the 

 primitive forests, ami it was impossible for him to lia\e denuded lar^e 

 areas of land \\ itliout observinj4' the consequent climatic changes. 



No facts exist to furnish us willi (he least clue for measuring the 

 length of the duration of this age, but probably it extended o\er tliou- 

 sands of years, lie its lengtli what it may, the whole of it was a pupilage 

 of the j)rimiti\e man in the school of experience, teaching him man\- 

 lessons that he will ne\er fcjrget. Amongst these lessons uiuiiu'stionably 

 was this, thai the destruction of forests smote climate with aridity, and 

 consecjuently the earth w illi sterility. As he could not penetrate to the 

 cause of this, his unsophisticated mind attributed these changes to the 

 wrath of the gods. l>ut why to the wrath of the gods.^ What had 

 otVended them .'' While the primitive forests remained, the gods were 

 propitious; the rains tlescended copiously, springs welled uj), and the 

 rivers llowed. The earth alst) was clothed with venlure and teemed 

 with bountiful harvests; the forests were lilled with game, and the w ater>- 

 vvith iish. Ibitwlicu the forests were gone, the laiii ceased, llie ibiinlains 

 and rixers dried up; the earth \\ as parched and liecame an inhospitable 

 desert; the tenants of the wood perished or lied, and the Iish disa])pcared 

 with the streams. SureK if calamities so great were not evidences that 

 the gods were olleiided. what could l»e receixed as such.' But what was 

 the cause of the oirense: 



Wh-i.t so loveh as the grove, and what so li anscendently beautiful as 

 the forest, under whose shady caiiop\- is collected e\crything that ispleas- 

 ant to the eye or gratetul to the senses." There the waters gush up to the 

 sun, sparkle in the light, and murmur as they run. TheiL' nature's oi'- 

 chestra is never silent, but music mingling in symphonlous liainiony Irom 

 high alto to deep bass forever floats in the air. There gaudy insects dis- 

 port themselves in the sunbeam ; and there the shepherd seeks shelter 

 from the heats of summer, the c(jlds of w inter, and repose for himself 

 and his ilocks. There vo-dwi the graceful deer and lleet anlelo])e in free- 

 dom, and also the licrce leoijard, the ])anlher. the tiger, and the lion. 

 Surely, if the gotls dwell anywhere upon earth, or even have a temporary 

 sojourn here, it must be in the groves and the forests.^ vSo reasoned the 

 primiti\e man. Ileiice not onlv his interencc that war upon the forests 

 was war upon the gods, but also if man wished to draw near to the g()ds 

 and hold communion with them, he had to go to the groves, their dwell- 

 ing place, and diere pay his adorations and pi'efer his supplications. 



So evidently was this the process of his reasoning, that its impros'; is 

 indelibly stamped on all the ancient religions. Diuid, Roman. Greek, 

 Heathen, and Hebrew, however widely dilVerent were the gods they 

 adored, they had one thing in connnon in which they all were in accord. 

 that of worshii>ing (iod in the groxes. Abraham planted a groxe in 

 Mamre, and there called upon (jod. Moses and Joshua, feeling thatthi^ 



