EVILS FOLLOWING DESTRUCTION OF FOEESTS. 47 



and to avert thunder storms. 7 Rapports Annuels deMetewo- 

 logie Forestiere. 



20. ' The chemical action of forests explains moreover 

 the property possessed by some kinds of trees to produce 

 a sanitary effect on localities and districts by decomposing 

 or arresting gasiform deleterious elements.' Make. 



21. ' The immense extent of the area occupied by forests 

 on the earth may be considered proof that nature designed 

 to assign to them some action in the terrestrial pheno- 

 mena.' Dupin. 



22. ' Forests, waters, and prairies, are the three great 

 laboratories of nature whence proceed all the good things 

 which ought to minister to man's happiness on the earth. 

 Forests manifestly, next to the sun, are of the greatest ser- 

 vice ; they seem to have a reaction on all the harmonies of 

 the globe. Under the truly happy influence exercised by 

 them everything prospers,' Ranch. 



23. ' By the majestic calm of its silence, by the sounds 

 produced by its animation or its agitation, by the intensity 

 of its verdure, and by the varied tones of its tints, by its 

 essences or perfumes, by its pure atmosphere, by I know 

 not what enchanting prestige, by its harmonies as by its 

 contrasts, this sweet and mysterious society of trees which 

 we call by the name of forest, communicates to us the 

 most lively and most contrary impressions. The soul of 

 the forest seems to act upon our own, and to cause it to 

 vibrate in unison.' Make. 



There may be much of sentimentalism in much of this, 

 but it tells how forests are looked at by some of the dis- 

 tinguished students of forest economy of the day. One 

 more, and I have done. 



24. ' To give a resume of what has been said the forest 

 occupies an important place in nature, in commerce, in 

 agriculture, and in hygiene. It creates soil out of- every- 

 thing, and breaks this up and enriches it ; it equalises and 

 regulates the temperature, and the flow of water ; it is our 

 best safeguard against inundations ; it renders salubrious 



