IN THE ECONOMY OF NATURE. 179 



"When a country is deprived of its forests, the springs 

 and rivulets are exhausted, and the climate is rendered 

 warmer and drier. This explains the reason why the 

 climate of ancient England and Germany, at the time of 

 the Roman Emperor Caesar, resembled that which Sweden 

 now possesses. The forests were then extensive, and the 

 woodcock, stag, wolf, bear, and wild boar made them a 

 home, as now we find them in the woods of Sweden. So 

 also, the climate of Greece, in Homer's time, was like that 

 of modern Germany, which now produces the orange and 

 the grape. 



The industry of England has removed its native forests, 

 and its meadows are the richest and most luxuriant in 

 Europe ; but it must be borne in mind that, in this instance, 

 the climate is insular, and therefore the clearing has been 

 effected without any injurious consequences. It is the same 

 with countries about the North Sea and the Baltic. Where, 

 as here, there is a temperate zone and an incessant supply 

 of moisture from the neighboring seas, the woods are of 

 less consequence, in fact it is far better to cut them down ; 

 for they make the climate too moist and cold, and prevent 

 the successful cultivation of the soil. The present agricul- 

 tural condition of Finland, in Northern Russia, establishes 

 this fact ; for the removal of its woods has dried up its 

 swamps and forwarded cultivation, whilst it has rendered 

 the climate milder and more habitable. So in laying the 

 railroad across the Isthmus of Panama, the country was 

 found to be unhealthy because too thickly wooded. Its 

 swampy condition and the heat of the climate caused it to 

 reek with malaria, and to abound with noxious reptiles and 

 venomous insects, whilst hundreds of workmen employed 

 on the road died of yellow fever. A place was selected for 

 a burial-ground soon after the work was commenced. It 

 is now called Hope Cemetery. It is surrounded by dense 

 foliage on every side, marked by the mourning plumes of 

 the cocoa-nut and the palm. Here those who fell victims 

 to the unhealthiness of the climate whilst constructing the 

 road, were buried by their heavy-hearted comrades. It 



