FOREST TREES. 203 



one made use of by Mr. Emerson, in the preparation of his 

 report, exhibiting the facts, in part at least, as they existed at 

 the close of the year, ending June 1, 1855. 



Mr. Emerson describes the uses of forests as follows : — 



1. Forests create, or gradually and constantly improve the 

 soil. The roots penetrate deeply, and thus let in the air, to 

 produce its slow but sure effects. The radicals decompose the 

 grains of sand, and extract from them elements essential to the 

 soil ; they drink in moisture, and the carbonic acid gas, which 

 has been formed beneath or brought down from the atmosphere ; 

 and from these several elements, acted on by heat, light and air, 

 in the leaves and by that unknown influence, vegetable life, are 

 formed the various substances which compose the plant. The 

 annual deposit of the leaves and the final decay of the branches 

 and trunk, go to constitute the mould upon which other plants 

 grow. And the soil thus formed is kept by the thick matting 

 of the roots from washing away. 



2. Another use of forests is, to serve as conductors of elec- 

 tricity between the clouds and its great reservoir, the earth, thus 

 giving activity to the vital powers of plants, and leading the 

 clouds to discharge their contents upon the earth. The forests 

 also coat the earth and keep it warm in winter, shutting in the 

 central heat, which would otherwise more rapidly radiate into 

 space and be lost. They act not less favorably as a protection 

 against the excessive heat of the summer's sun, which rapidly 

 evaporates the moisture and parches the surface. 



3. Forests protect a country from the violence of winds. 

 The laws of the motion of the atmosphere are similar to those of 

 water. A bare hill gives no protection. The wind pours over 

 it as water over a dam. But if the hill be capped with trees, 

 the windy cascade will be broken as into spray. Its violence 

 will be sensibly diminished. Hence, a garden, surrounded by 

 tall trees, admits of the cultivation, even in our severe climate, 

 of plants almost tropical. 



Forests not only protect from winds, but prevent their forma- 

 tion. The air, resting over a broken surface, cannot be rapidly 

 heated to a uniformly high temperature, so as to rise upwards 

 in great masses and create a violent wind. 



4. As adding to the beauty of a country, the forests are of 

 the utmost importance. A country destitute of them cannot be 

 in the highest degree beautiful. 



