STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 175 



belts of timber. Why? Because the trees are higher than the adjacent 

 plains, and electricity everywhere mounts the hij2,"hest points. Conse- 

 quently, by the same law that operates in mountains, the areas covered 

 by trees must receive larger quantities of rain than naked plains. 



The law of electi^ic distribution is, that it is evenly distributed over 

 equal areas of surface. Now everything on the surface of the earth, as a 

 house, tree, stem, branch, or leaf, adds its superficies to the superficial area 

 of the earth, and receives its equal part in an electric distribution. Hence 

 an area of timbered land bv its trees and their foliage may have its area 

 of surface increased five thousand fold over an equal area of plain. Con- 

 sequently its electi"ic potentiality will be increased in the same proportion. 

 Hence, its electric reaction upon the atmosphere will be in the same ratio, 

 and \\ill attract to itself more copious and abundant rains. 



The great lesson inculcated by these facts for man's benefit, is that he 

 is endowed with power to become an ameliorating agent on the earth; 

 that he. within limits, can control the elements, and make them ministers 

 of his welfare and happiness by modifying climate where too rigorous, 

 and employ them to repair the waste places of the earth. To do this, he 

 has only to plant trees where they have been destroyed or are absent. 

 He will then realize the truth of Mahomet's benediction, " Blessed is the 

 man that planteth a tree;" and the philosophy of the remarkable aphorism 

 of Zoroaster in the Zend Avesta, " He that planteth a tree watereth the 

 earth, which is a more acceptable service to God than prayer and praise, 

 or burnt oftering and sacrifice." 



The planting of trees will not only temper the heats of summer and 

 the rigors of the cold of winter, but it will effect a condensation of vapor 

 and facilitate the precipitation of rain. Moreover it will effect an accu- 

 mulation of electricity, and wherever there is an accuinulation of 

 electricity, there is a favorable condition for a wedding between 

 the son of Crrlus and the daughter of Terra. The bride, to meet 

 her spouse in the air, mounts the highest trees or ascends the highest 

 mountains; but he can only meet her by water. Hence he makes the 

 clouds his chariot and brings to the nuptials a shower, a gift so grateful 

 to Ceres and Pomona. The earth rejoices at the marriage, and teems 

 with bountiful harvests and luscious fruits. 



The great lesson is now before us. Will we repair the injuries tlic 

 thoughtlessness and recklessness of man has inflicted upon the earth and 

 its climate.'* will we gfo forth and ameliorate the rigors of climate on our 

 great Western plains.'' yea, more, will we make the great Sahara again 

 blossom like a rose, and a congeinal habitation for man.'' Or, will we 

 make of ourselves, as man has made of himself throughout the past, a 

 fugitive and a vagabond on the face of the earth, ever fleeing from, but 

 never entirely escaping the curse wherewith our stupidity has smitten the 

 earth ? With us and ours is the responsibility, whether all the waste 

 places of the earth shall be reclaimed, or, whether greater calamities 

 now impending shall come upon us, fulfilling the vaticinations in tlie 

 solilocjuy of Bryant's Indian revisiting, in the East, the burial places of 

 his fathers : 



