266 BOARD OF AGEtCULTUKE. 



Every law of climatic equilibrium is made contingent on right affor- 

 estation. I do not care to enumerate them hei'e, because I feel you know 

 them and can make the applications. But I wish the following statements 

 to be considered in the relation of forests to agi-iculture: 



1. Evaporation in open fields is 44 per cent., as against 12 per cent, in 

 forests. 



2. Water falling on open fields soon flows over the surface to streams 

 and does not remain to do much good to the soil. 



3. The rainfall in forests is directed into the soil and retained by 

 means of the roots, litter and humus to be given off gradually to the atmos- 

 phere, streams, springs and soil. 



4. About 75 per cent, of the annual precipitation is due to transpira- 

 tion and evaporation from forests. 



5. The temperature of forests is much more even and moderate than 

 that of open regions. 



6. The spasmodic disturbances of climate are most frequent and de- 

 structive in disafforested regions. 



7. That year by year sees more and more the drying up of the streams. 

 There is no industry so dependent on right climatic, soil and moisture 



arrangement as general agriculture. Fruit growing is most disastrously 

 affected hy the drouth and freezes. Orchards need protection from the 

 freezes, extreme evaporation and storms by the planting of good shelter 

 groves. The removal of forests from near fruit orchards has given sway 

 to the insects and worms on both trees and fruit in the absence of birds 

 to devour these pests. 



The relations of forestry and agriculture are very vital in farm utility 

 of fences, fuel, building and protection of premises. The subject of fences 

 is one that is now perplexing farmers, and farm philosophers and econo- 

 mists are devoting much time in experimenting for a good solution of the 

 problem. Iron and cement posts are expensive and unsatisfactory. Cedar 

 posts are good but expensive. Systematic fencing is rapidly forcing farm- 

 ers to a large expense, and consuming the income of the farm. What is to 

 be done? To my mind the solution is easy, first-class and inexpensive. 



Every farmer should grow his own fencing material, especially posts. 

 There is not a farmer but that can spare a small patch of ground and cul- 

 tivate it in either the hardy catalpa, black locust, Kentucky coffee-tree, 

 Osage orange or Russian mulberry, or all of them. Or if he has a woods 

 lot he can grow them in it along with the timber. These species are the 

 most lasting timbers in contact with the soil and the quickest growers. 

 Posts and ties can be gi-own from them in from eight to fifteen years in 

 quantities of from two thousand to five thousand per acre. You can see 

 the value of It. There are instances in the State where farmers saw this 

 twelve or fifteen years ago and are now fencing their farms from home 

 grown posts. I know of one party who has fenced a one hundred and 

 sixty acre farm from an acre of waste land planted in black locust, and 

 has an abundance of posts yet on hand. 



