368 



THE FARMER»S MAGAZINE. 



diminution of the waters, they established a pkiviameter.* 

 In the course of the second year of observation tliey 

 measured a quantity of rain greater than that collected 

 during the first year, although the clearings had continued, 

 and without having observed any appreciable increase in 

 the working slream.t 



It is therefore very likely that local clearings of timber 

 of small extent are capable of lessening, and even of 

 causing the disappearance of, springs and rivulets, without 

 that effect being in the least attributable lo a less quantity 

 of rainfall. 



We have no means whereby to ascertain whether exten- 

 sive clearings would render the rainfall less abundant. 

 The redometrical observations will alone enable us to 

 resolve the question. Unfortunately the observations we 

 have been permitted to speak of are too recent, for in 

 Europe they have in general commenced when the great 

 clearing had been already carried out. In the United States 

 of America, where tlie forests disappear with inconceivable 

 rapidity, we shall be presented perhaps, at a period not 

 very far distant, with a series of valuable facts. 



In studying under the tropics the phenomena of rain, I 

 have formed for myself an opinion on the effects of clearings, 

 which I have already imparted to other observers. For myself 

 it is a settled point that a very extended clearing diminishes 

 the annual quantity of rain-fall over a country. 



It has been said for a long time that in the equinosial 

 regions the period of the rainy season returns annually 

 vnth astonishuig regularity, that is, with the greatest exact- 

 ness ; bat this meteorological fact must not be announced 

 in too general a manner. 



The regularity in the alternation of the dry and rainy 

 seasons is the greatest iu those countries wliich possess an 

 extremely varied territory. Thus, a country which exhibits 

 at once forests and rivers, mountams and large plains, 

 lakes and extensive plateaus, presents, in fact, periodical 

 seasons perfectly decided. J 



It is no longer so if the territory is more uniform — if ic 

 becomes in a manner special. The period of the return of 

 the rains will be less regular if the open arid lands prevail ; 

 if cultivation on an extensive scale replace in part the 

 forests; if the rivers are less numerous, the lakes more 

 rare.§ The rain will be then less abundant, and in such a 

 country they will be visited from time to time with droughts 

 of long duration. 



If, on the contrary, thick forests cover almost entirely the 

 country, if the rivers are numerous and cultivation limited, 

 the irregularities in the season will still take place, but in a 

 different manner. The rains will predominate, and in some 

 years will become almost continual. |1 



The American continent affords us, on an immense scale, 

 two regions placed under the same conditions of tempera- 

 ture, and in which we meet successively the most favourable 

 circumstances for the formation of rain, and those which 

 are of an entirely opposite character. 



Setting out from Panama, and directing our course 

 towards the south, we find the bay of Cupica, the provinces 

 of Buenaventura, Clioco, and Esmaraldas. In this country, 

 covered with forests, and irrigated with numerous rivers, the 

 rains are almost continual. In the interior of Choco not 

 a day passes without rain. Beyond Tumbez, towards Payta, 

 begins an order of things entirely different. The forests 

 have disappeared, the soil is sandy, the cultivation nearly 

 nil. There, it may be said, rain is unknown. When I 

 found myself at Payta, I was informed by the inhabitants 

 that they had had none for seventeen years. This want of 

 rain is common in all the country bordering on the desert 

 of Sechura, and extends even from thence to Lima. In 

 those countries rain is as rare as trees. 



Piura is not more distant from the Andes of Assuay than 



* Annates de Chimie et de Physique, t. 61, p. 167. 



+ Two years of redometrical observations are insuflBcient even 

 between the tropics to charge a variation in the quantity of 

 annual rain-fall. But the observations at Marmato prove that 

 the body of running water has diminished, although the quan- 

 tity of rain-fall was larger the second year. 



t Venezuela, the Llanos, plateaus of New Grenada, and of 

 Quito, plains of the Magdalena, the province of Antioquia, the 

 provinces of Guayaquil and Curtagera. 



§ The provinces of Socotro, Sogamoso, Cuiuaua, Coro, Cuenca 

 (towards Piura). 



II Choco ; the forests of Or onoko. 



are the humid plains of Choco from the Western Cordilleras. 



The facts disclosed in this memoir appear to establish: — 



1st. That extensive clearings diminish the quantities of 

 running water which pass over the surface of a country. 



2nd. That it is impossible to say whether that diminution 

 is due to a less annual quantity of raiu, to a greater evapo- 

 ration, or to these two causes combined. 



3rd. That the quantity of running water does not appear 

 lo have varied iu those countries which have not been sub- 

 ject to changes arising from cultivation. 



4th. That independent of the preservation of rivers and 

 streams, by opposing an obstacle to evaporation, the forests 

 modify and regulate iheir flow. 



5lh. That the cultivation established in a country, arid 

 and not covered with forests, dissiiiates a part of the waters 

 of the rivers. 



6th. That by purely local clearing of forests, springs may 

 disappear without giving us reason to conclude that the 

 annual quantity of rain has decreased. 



7th. That, in dependency upon meteorological facts col- 

 lected in equinoxial regions, we must assume that extensive 

 clearings diminish the quantity of rain that annually falls 

 upon a country. Boussingault, 



Member of the Academy of Sciences, 

 and of the Imperial and Central 

 Society of Agriculture. 



MR. COTHER'S COTSWOLD RAM SALE 

 AT MIDDLE ASTON. 



The twenty-ninth annual sale of the Aston flock of 

 Cotswold rams took place at Middle Aston. There was 

 a large attendance of breeders ; but the sales, upon the 

 whole, did not realize quite so high a figure as in other years. 

 Previous to the sale, Mr. Cother explained the cause why his 

 flock this season appeared somewhat out of condition. In many 

 of the best flocks iu this country disease sometimes insinuated 

 itself; and this had been the case with his flock, the disease 

 called hamberris having shown itself in the form of a black 

 fungous spot, first appearing upon the legs, and spreading 

 more or less over the body. Had they seen his sheep last 

 Christmas, they would not have believed lie could have had a 

 sale this year ; but he was glad to say that the disease had 

 been eradicated, and the sheep, though not having yet attained 

 a perfect condition, were full of promise for the future. Two 

 fine rams, which had taken six prizes, and a pen of ewes, were 

 exhibited upon the lawn, but not for sale. Mr. Lyne con- 

 ducted the auction. There were about sixty shearlings for sale, 

 and some older sheep to be let for the season. 



The few sheep to be let were first brought forward. Nos. 1 

 and 2 were knocked down for 7^ and 6J guineas to Mr. Bar- 

 low, of Great Tew ; No. 3 to Mr. Alban Bull, of Drayton, for 



7 guineas : No. 4 to Mr. Boot, Bacon Field, Great Tew, for 

 6^ guineas ; and No. 5 to Mr. Berner, Costow, near Sulgrave, 

 for 6 guineas. No. 5 of the shearlings was let for 11 guineas 

 to Mr. Taylor, of Shipton ; No. 30 to Mr. Newton, Campg- 

 field, for 8| guineas ; and No. 50 to Mr. Freeman, Hand- 

 borougb, for 6| guineas. Three two-shear sheep were sold 

 for 8, 7, and 6 guineas respectively— the latter to Mr. Stiigoe, 

 Adderbury. The shearlings were then brought forward for 

 sale, and No. 1 was knocked down to Mr. Bliss, Great Tew, 

 for lOi guineas ; No 2 to Mr. Fletcher, Great EoUright, for 

 13 guineas ; Nos. 3 and 24 to Mr. Guy, Wytham, for 10 J and 

 84 guineas; Nos. 4, 17, and 46 to Mr. T. Kimber, Tracy 

 Farm, Great Tew, for 16, 10^, and 9 guineas; No. 6 Mr. Car- 

 ter, Steeple Aeton, 8| guineas; Nos. 7, 12, and .52, Mr. 

 Robinson, Dornford, 17, 14, and 7i guineas; No. 8, 6^ gui- 

 neas ; No. 9, Mr. T. Berry, Enstoue, 12| guineas ; No. 10, 

 Mr. Pratt, Wyckham, 8^ guineas; No. 11, Mr. Rogers, 

 Ditchley, 7 guineas; Nos. 13 and 21, Mr. White, Shotteswell, 



8 and 9 guineas; Nos. 14 and 34, Mr. Atkins, Rousham, 7| 

 and 6i guineas; Nos. 15 and 20, Mr. James Smith, Kirtling- 

 ton, 6^ and 12| guineas; No. 16, Mr. Coleman, Sulgrave, 9J 

 guineas; No. 18, Mr. Symons, Fringford, 10 guineas; No. 

 19, Mr. Churchill, Tackley, 11| guineas; Nos. 22 and 54, 

 Mr. Hawkea, Hunscote, near Wellesbourne, 14 and 7 guineas; 

 Nos. 23, 26, 42, 43, and 55, Mr. J. Ellis, Allington, near 



