170 FOREST INFLUENCES. 



Mr. Abbot Kinney, of California, au iutelligent observer, gives the 

 following recent testimony in regard to a particnlar Held on liis estate: 



This field was cleared of a dense brush jjrowth, about 15 feet bigh, wbicb, in Cali- 

 fornia, is called chaparral. When first cleared the soil was quite dark in color and 

 full of vegetable detritus. 



For two years no special care was required to prevent gnllies forming from the 

 rains. The rain-holding power of the field has constantly diminished, cross furrows 

 have now to be carefully prepared and maintained during the rainy season. A sharp 

 raiu now runs off without doing much good where it formerly soaked in. The dark 

 color has gone and the soil is now a plain red. It packs hard now, after every rain, 

 when formerly it did not pack at all, except in a pathway. On the edge of the 

 bluft's where the brush was left the old conditions prevail. I was doing some work 

 along these bluif edges and found that I could shovel the dirt easily after cutting off 

 the brush, but on the cleared land adjoining whore the plow had missed, near the 

 edge, the ground was so hard as to require a pick. 



In 1885 the Oliio State Forestry Bureau issued circulars to its cor- 

 respoudeuts tlirougliout tlie State making inquiries in regard to tlie 

 observed influence of clearing the forests upon water supply. The re- 

 plies received are published in the first annual report of the bureau 

 and will be found quite in harmony with the testimony above given. 



Such reports as these can be multiplied from every section of our 

 country, and, while there would always remain the onus of proof that 

 the change of Avaterflow and forest conditions were in causal relation, 

 it is difficult to conceive of any other causes for these experiences over 

 so widespread an area, than the change of surface conditions due to 

 deforestation, especially the burning of the forest floor. However 

 questionable the position of forest cover as a climatic factor, its rela- 

 tion to waterflow and soil conditions is attested by experiences la all 

 ])tirts of the world. 



