5AO REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
wharf at Port Townsend for the United States Coast Survey. This will probably differ 
from the records kept at the military post at Fort Townsend, where there is, I think, 
a greater rainfall which increases both at Chemakum and Port Discovery, although at 
the two latter places no official records have been kept. At Bellingham Bay, as shown 
by the records kept at Fort Bellingham in 1858, the mean rainfall was 29.67; at Steila- 
coom, 43.48; and at Olympia, although I have no data to refer to, I am informed that 
the rainfall is in excess of that at Steilacoom. The causes which operate to produce 
this great dissimilarity in the meteorology of Puget Sound are set forth at length in 
the paper I have alluded to, but their length will prevent me from giving a detailed 
description. I may, however, add that my views were adopted by the Academy of 
Natural Sciences as authentic and satisfactory. 
A subject of great interest to this Territory is the climatic influence exerted by our 
pale and what results are likely to follow the disboscation or clearing away of these 
orests. 
The action of forests on the climate of a country is very complex, and there does not 
appear to be much unanimity of opinion among scientists on the subject, from wan 
of a general and extensive study of the phenomena. Such scientists as Arrago, Gay- 
Lussac, Beugnot, Gasparin, Schubler, Humboldt, Bonpland, Dutrochet, &c., equally 
vary in their opinion ; in fact, it would be almost impossible to bring less proof to the 
solution of a question. And if so much uncertainty rests upon the decision of the 
European scientists, how much more so may be said of any conclusions we may arrive 
at respecting the climate of Washington Territory, where comparatively nothing has 
been done in the way of scientific observation! This much, however, may be said 
with certainty, that but little apprehension need be felt that the forests of Western 
Washington Territory will ever be extinct, although the timber trees may, after a long 
series of years, become as scarce as those of the State of Maine. 
It is a well-known fact that the fir of Puget Sound has a wonderful vitality and 
tenacity, asmay be seen in numberlessinstances. Where the forests have been cleared 
by the ax or swept away by destructive fires, or even in clearings that have once 
been cultivated and subsequently abandoned, the fir again springs up and in an 
incredibly short space of time entirely covers the ground with an impenetrable thicket. 
Our forests in this respect differ from those of New England. There the pine forest is 
succeeded by the oak and other deciduous hardwood trees, but with us fir succeeds 
fir. Whether this fact is of any value in deciding the question of the climatic influ- 
ence our forests exert, cannot now be decided; and any solution of the problem can 
only be a theoretical one until sufficient time shall have elapsed and a great number 
of reliable observations made from which facts may be deduced which will enable us 
to arrive at certainties. 
I have endeavored in this brief manner to answer the various questions contained 
in your letter which really require an elaborate essay to fully elucidate all that may 
be said upon the subject, but I trust that even these remarks may be of service to you 
in enabling you to prepare a more detailed statement for the honorable Commissioner 
of Agriculture. 
Appended will be found a tracing of a skeleton map of this depart- 
ment. It shows the location of the posts, and gives an idea of the 
drainage of the country. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
(Signed) EDW. MAGUIRE, 
First Lieutenant of Engineers, U.S. A. 
Chief Engineer Department of Dakota. 
DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI. 
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, 
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER, 
Fort Leavenworth, Kans., March 26, 1878. 
To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U.S. A.: 
Srr: In obedience to request contained in your letter of September 
25, I have made efforts to obtain information on the question of forestry 
areas and conditions in the vicinity of the various military posts of this 
department. From some of these posts full and clear reports have been 
received, and from others reports that have not been so satisfactory, 
