16 OUTLINES OF FORESTRY. 



are born in the mountainous districts, and, if the 

 forests are removed, the rain which falls drains so 

 rapidly from the earth's surface that the soil 

 that took a long time to form by the gradual 

 disintegration of the igneous rocks, and slowly 

 accumulated its vegetable mould from the growth 

 and subsequent decay of thousands of generations 

 of plants, is lost to the highlands, only to become 

 a source of damage to the lowlands. 



3. Because the rapid drainage of the mountain 

 slopes on the removal of their forests will result in 

 dangerous floods during times of rain. 



4. Because the failure of so great a part of 

 the rain-water to sink into the ground and fill the 

 reservoirs of the springs will cause such springs 

 to more readily dry up shortly after the appear- 

 ance of drought. 



5. Because the mountain slopes, when de- 

 prived of their forests, become excessively hot 

 during the day, and excessively cold during the 

 night, and thus tend to sensibly alter the climate 

 of the country. 



6. Because such marked differences in tem- 

 perature tend to increase the number and severity 

 of destructive hail-storms. 



7. Because the removal of the forests tends to 



