FORESTRY. 373 



calamity should about overtake us we would be ready to leap 

 out on the score of modern inventions coming to our rescue to 

 such an extent that we would be able to do without timber. I 

 fell inclined to hang on to that bit of comfort and make the 

 most of it. If that calamity does come, it will bring with it 

 inventions that will help us to get along very comfortably 

 without timber. When that time does come, there will be ad- 

 vantages that we do not estimate now. There will be no danger 

 of fires. Those terrible holocausts that have been and are tak- 

 ing place with our present wooden structures, where hundreds 

 of lives are lost, will be things of the past. There will be a great 

 many ways in which we can slip along without borrowing 

 trouble from this calamity side of the question. We will admit 

 everything, but we will look ahead and try to slip out without 

 suffering. 



Mr. J. A. Sampson: I am glad that our friend Dartt has sug- 

 gested the idea of inventions. I would also refer to the paper 

 that was read wherein it mentioned the materials that are com- 

 ing to take the place of wood. I would suggest that the manu- 

 facture of wood pulp be encouraged as far as possible, and it 

 would save timber in a large way. 



Mr. Ayers: There is another point touched upon several 

 times this evening, and to which I am opposed, and that is 

 that forests have no effect on the climate. It is .very easy to 

 get along and let those things follow their course, but it is 

 not my doctrine. I believe the Creator has placed troubles in 

 our way which he wants us to overcome, and he rewards us by 

 making us more prosperous. In regard to the climate, we have 

 no data or any records that were kept in the United States 

 that show anything either way on the question. In Prussia 

 and France records have been kept, and it is found that in the 

 woods, especially in the summer time, the air is much nearer 

 the point of saturation (the point near which rain is precipi- 

 tated) than it is on the prairie; about nine per cent, greater. 

 When the wind blows over the forest it is near the point of 

 precipitation. When such an air comes along almost saturated 

 with moisture that is thrown out by those leaves of trees, we 

 get rain. Ll have talked with about a dozen people who live in 

 Dakota, and they have seen it rain in the timber when they had 

 not a drop of rain where they lived. I believe rain often falls 

 in that way. r Even if it does not, we can see that that belt of 

 timber by giving\out its moisture to the air and protecting it 



