408 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



be entirely changed by cutting away the trees, and streams may even 

 entirely dry up. In southern France, where the Olive trees at one 

 time formed forests, in 1822, a severe frost killed them. After that a 

 number of springs failed entirely, and in the city of Orleans nearly all 

 the wells dried up. During the Eoman rule in France, the river Du- 

 rance, south of Avignon and the Seine, were navigable and well sup- 

 plied with water. ISTow since the head waters of these streams have 

 been cleared, the Durance can hardly float a skiff in summer. Similar 

 facts are also related of Germaey. In Germany this matter has been 

 closely in Testigated, and it is proven that "destroy the timber upon 

 the mountains and there will be a decrease of water lower down." Or, 

 as a distinguished naturalist says, "man strides over the earth and a 

 desert follows him." The facts have awakened our government and 

 timber claims are now made on public lands. Several States encour- 

 age the planting of trees by statute, and in Kansas we already see 

 favorable increase of rainfall. Cut down no trees unless absolutely 

 necessary, and plant trees and posterity will thank us. 



EFFORT FROM IOWA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BY CHAS. PATTERSON, KIRKSVILLE. 



The main object of my attendance at the meeting of this society at 

 Charles City, Jan. 18-21st, was to ascertain the actual condition of their 

 orchards. 1 had read their previous reports of general destruction by 

 recent test winters, but as they seemed to include even the southern 

 part, of which I had some personal knowledge, I suspected that the 

 whole State might still grow sufficient fruit for home consumption, at 

 least in favorable seasons. This suspicion seemed again fully confirmed 

 on hearing their first report from the extreme southeastern district. 

 The reporter himself had grubbed up a considerable orchard IG years 

 old, at Bonapart, only a few miles from our state line, where I have 

 sold trees last season, and heard of no such complaints on our side. 



