2i 4 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



dence to support his main conclusions gaitgings from day to day and year to 

 at the end of the paper. These conclu- year, etc." He evidently knows that we 

 sions Nos. 7-9, are the only ones which have not accurate river gaugings, but in 

 are really germane to the subject. The spite of this is not afraid to assert that 

 first and' most irhportant reads as fol- he (Mr. Moore) knows whether floods 

 lows : and droughts are more or less frequent. 

 "No. 7. 'The run-off of our rivers is The use of such assertion in a scientific 

 not materially affected by any other fac- discussion well illustrates the character 

 tor than the precipitation.' J A brand of the whole paper, 

 new discovery in science ! We are told. In dealing with "Run-off and absorp- 

 practically, that it makes no difference tion" Mr. Moore admits it "to be gen- 

 whether the land is level or hilly, erally held" that forests affect run-off, 

 whether the slope is steep or gentle, He prefers not to discuss this matter, 

 whether it is rough or smooth, whether however, claims that plowed fields are 

 it is cleared or covered with brush, the best absorbers, and then contents 

 whether it is gullied or not, all these himself with the above quotations con- 

 factors have no "material" influence, cerning river .gaugings and adds, p. 16: 

 the water runs off in just the same way. "We must, therefore, reason empirically 

 The fact that it is the mountain streams from the best information at hand and 

 which have bothered the people in every this insufficiency of data renders less 

 part of the world by their turbulence, positive the conclusions of all investiga- 

 their floods and droughts is unknown tors, no matter which side of the ques- 

 to Mr. Moore. The fact that a prairie tion they may be on." 

 river like the Brazos gets on a "ram- This insufficiency of data evidently 

 page," and becomes a mud torrent dur- does not prevent Mr. Moore from mak- 

 ing a three days heavy rain while a ing the most extraordinary assertions 

 river from the forest, like the Wiscon- ever ventured in any discussion of this 

 sin will hardly show a rise or sign of kind. 



turpitude, all this appears to Mr. Moore In this very matter of run-off Mr. 



mistaken observation, evidently of the Moore fails entirely to connect run-off 



"oldest inhabitant" and the United with erosion, the gullying or develop- 



States Geological Survey. (Which by ment of the innumerable drain lines due 



the way has an hydrographic office which to clearing of land, and aggravated by 



is the only reliable scientific bureau plowing. 



dealing with these subjects.) That this That every furrow, every rod of 

 conclusion No. 7 flatly contradicts the gully, acts as a drain and hastens run- 

 statement on page 15 and quoted above, off and prevents water storage, does not 

 where he admits that slope and soil seem to be of importance to Mr. 

 cover do have something to do with this Moore's position. The average citizen 

 run-off, does not bother his logic. This who sees with his own eyes and not 

 conclusion is so extraordinary, so illogi- merely through the reports of rain 

 cal, and devoid of sense, and yet so gauge readers, and who has come to the 

 eminently well fitted to serve the pur- same conclusions as his neighbors and 

 pose of the whole paper that one is thousands of observing people all over 

 forced to believe that the conclusions the country will wonder if his "reason- 

 were specially framed on the assump- ing empirically" is not perhaps as con- 

 tion that our "busy" people and legisla- vincin.g as that of Mr. Moore. 

 tors read only conclusions. The other In dealing with "Effects of Forests 

 two conclusions, Nos. 8 and 9, assert, on on Floods in France" Mr. Moore delib- 

 no particular proof, that floods and erately quotes certain authors by extract 

 droughts are no more frequent now and is guilty of misleading statements 

 than formerly, though he admits on concerning the views of prominent en- 

 pag" 16: 'All of these problems could gineers, as is indicated by Professor 

 be definitely settled beyond the possibility Swain. He also neglects the main fea- 

 "I argument if we had accurate river ture of this topic. He does not know or 



