FORESTRY. 11 1 



aspect of the farm — and there are few farms without these 

 — a few trees, a small grove, will add to the thrifty appear- 

 ance of the farm, make useful the otherwise waste spots, 

 and serve as shelter to grazing cattle, etc. 



Altogether, the farmer should realize that husbandry of 

 soil and water is the secret of future success, and that 

 successful v/ater management is best attained by the main- 

 tenance of properly located and well-managed forest areas. 



There is much extravagant talk about the influence of 

 forests on climate and on rainfall especially. We have but 

 little definite knowledge on these subjects, but it takes no 

 expert, only a little observation, to appreciate the effects of 

 a wind-breaking timber belt on one's own feeling, and it 

 takes but little reasoning to appreciate that the field crop 

 in the shelter of the timber belt participates in this feeling. 

 The dry winds are the great bane of field crops in the West, 

 because they dissipate the moisture ; a timber belt breaks 

 their force and reduces thereby their evaporating power. 



Just so it takes no great philosopher to see that when 

 rain falls on naked ground it compacts that ground and by 

 and by prevents itself from penetrating; the water is forced 

 to drain off superficially and rapidly, instead of sinking into 

 the ground and remaining there for the use of field crops. 

 And that the washing and gullying of the soil is also a result 

 of this rushing off of surface-waters, due to the clearing 

 away of its plant-cover, requires no wise man to point out ; 

 every farmer experiences it more or less every year. 



That any one farmer's neglect or the devastation of any 

 small part of the forest growth should have an influence on 

 the rainfall or climate of the whole country nobody should 

 claim; but the conditions surrounding each particular farm, 

 its local climate, soil, and water conditions, are changed, 

 and finally the aggregate changes make themselves felt over 

 the whole state. 



Now as to the management of the wood-lot a few hints 

 may be acceptable. The farmer may not necessarily employ 

 the finer methods of managing the wood-crop, but by the 

 mere application of common sense and a little knowledge 

 of tree-life he may do better than he does at present. 



