APPENDIX. 35 



Observations kept at the Maine State College for nearly twenty 

 years, show no changes in climate or atmospheric precipitation that 

 cannot be accounted for by yearly fluctuation. There is great need 

 of data on the above important subjects, and we hope that an early 

 effort will be made by the State to have systematic observations 

 taken. Statistics show that our State is growing rapidl}' in manu- 

 factures, and the maintenance of our water power is of great 

 importance. 



It is well known that the cutting of forest from the head waters of 

 streams has in many of the states already seriously affected the 

 distribution of water supply for milling and other purposes. "In 

 Central New York, streams that thirty or forty years ago kept the 

 ponds well filled for the saw-mill and grist-mill, and furnished a 

 never failing suppl}' for the farm, are now dry in summer, excepting 

 here and there a stagnant pool." 



The rivers of Maine are comparative!}' short. Our rainfall is 

 copious. The extensive swamps, and the spongy leaf mold and moss 

 in our evergreen forests act as reservoirs to hold back the moisture 

 and dispense it slowly durmg the dryer summer months. If the 

 forests are cut the swamps will dr}' out, the moss die, the vegetable 

 mold wash away, and our summer reservoir be destroyed. The 

 effect will be to produce floods in the rain}' months, and at the season 

 of melting snows, and come drouth and decreased flowage in the 

 summer time. Perhaps the reason why the eff'ects have not been so 

 apparent in Maine is that deforestation began at the mouth instead 

 of the source of our streams. Lumbermen are each year encroach- 

 ing upon the sources of our water supply. The interests of a growing 

 industry demand a careful study of this question. 



RELATION OF AGRICULTURE TO FORESTRY. 



There is a general impression that Maine is not adapted to agri- 

 culture, and that the farm area will not be greatly increased. 



We find by a study of statistics, that in the western part of the 

 State the farm area is not increasing and that the increase is mostly 

 in Aroostook county. 



In the early settlement of the State, farms were largely opened 

 upon the uplands and tillage was difficult. The policy now in the 

 western part of the State ; is to drain the low, rich, swampy lands ; 

 convert them into productive fields and allow the more rugged upland 



