1846. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



105 



words, of a change of climate. It appears from 

 the best information obtained on the subject, that 

 the climate of this country is gradually becoming 

 colder ; and whether it be true or not that the 

 heat of summer is greater than formerly, it will 

 follow that the winter's cold must be greater. 



" But," it may be asked, "how does the pres- 

 ence of forests prevent these efFects, or their 

 abscence (destruction) produce them ?" We 

 answer, 1st. They protect the earth from the ef- 

 fects of severe frosts. It is well known that 

 frost never penetrates so deeply into the earth, 

 in forests, and their immediate vicinity, as in the 

 open fields. This results partly from the protec- 

 tion they afford against the action of winds, and 

 partly from their preserving the uniform depth 

 of the snow.* Hence the greater amount of for- 

 est in a country, the greater the protection. — 

 Hence also even a small number of trees scattered 

 through fields, and along roads and fences, will, 

 by checking the force of winds, contribute in 

 some measure to the same effect. And how 

 easily might the number of such trees be multi- 

 plied, not only without injury to the farmer, but 

 even to his manifest advantage, as well as to the 

 great beauty and advantage of the country. 



2d. They modify the intense heat of the sum- 

 mer air by evaporation from the leaves. Plants 

 and tress absorb moisture from the earth, much 

 of which, incapable of being appropriated to 

 their use, is thrown off' by their leaves. Their 

 leaves are their organs of respiration, and by im- 

 parting moisture to the atmosphere they n)itigate 

 its intensity and tend to equalize its temperature. 

 We have a familiar illustration of this in the 

 cooling ot the air in our rooms in hot weather, 

 by sprinkling water upon the floor. Hence even 

 scattering trees will contribute their proportion 

 to the same effect. This is evident from the fact 

 that orchards are cooler than naked fields; an 

 effect attributable not wholly to the shade, but in 

 part also to the moisture thrown olf by the leaves. 

 Hence the difficulty of drying hay in orchards. 



3d. From whatever cause it may happen, I 

 believe it is true, that more water falls in woody 

 countries than in those that are divested of their 

 forests. This, together with the protection which 

 the forests afford against evaporation from the 

 surface of the earth, and their inffuence in check- 

 ing the violence and effect of winds even in 

 summer, operates to prevent severe drouths, 

 aiid consequently, the drying up of streams and 

 springs. It may also be remarked, that the fail- 

 ure of these in time diminishes the quantity of 

 water raised by evaporation from the earth, and 

 thus tends to promote drouth. 



If what has been said above be true, we see the 

 duty which people owe both to themselves and 

 to posterity. That it is true in the main, there 

 can be no doubt We infer, then, the duty of 



* Snow, forest trees, nnd shrubs greatly chock the radia- 

 tion of heat from the earth. — Ed. 



every one who has the means, to promote the 

 cultivation of all kinds of trees that may be either 

 useful or ornamental ; not only fruit, but forest 

 trees. And we earnestly request all owners of 

 wood-lands to exercise a judicious economy in 

 the management of them, both in regard to quan- 

 tity and arrangement. Lands should always be 

 cleared with reference to the direction of pre- 

 vailing winds, and every unproductive spot of 

 land should remain untouched. That man can 

 hardly be forgiven, who from mere mercenary 

 motives, cuts down nearly all the timber from 

 his 100 acres, (more or less,) reserving, as he 

 very complacently tells us, enough for his own 

 use ; much less he, who sweeps awa}^ every 

 thing in the shape of a tree, (except, perhaps, a 

 i'ew fruit trees,) from every part of his premises, 

 not even sparing the shade trees by the way-side. 

 By such management, or rather mismanagement, 

 he not only injures himself, but, to the extent of 

 his inffuence, the whole community. How much 

 better would it be for every inland country, if 

 the clearing of the lands had been subjected to 

 some wholesome restraints, or pursued upon sci- 

 entific principles. 



Again, I might argue the importance of pre- 

 serving and promoting the growth of trees, on 

 other grounds than those of interest and utility. 

 The barren and desolate appearance of a country 

 divested not only of its forests but even of its 

 scattering shade trees and parched with drouth, 

 is anything but inviting to a traveller or a man 

 of taste. What an uninviting world would this 

 soon become, if its physical afTairs were regula- 

 ted according to the taste, or rather the want of 

 taste of some of its occupants ! Even in its fall- 

 en state it has not lost all its primitive beauty, 

 and if man would only " keep it, and dress it," 

 it might even now be made almost a " garden," 

 both in beauty and productiveness. 



I might also urge our duty to posterity. — 

 What will the future generations do, if the pres- 

 ent shall continue the present system of destruc- 

 tion 1 I know of no reason why the owner of a 

 valuable farm must necessarily clear nine-tenths 

 of it for the purpose of accumulating property, 

 even for his children. Does he not see that 

 wood-lands are more valuable in almost any part 

 of the country, than others 1 Will he not then 

 better consult the interests of his children by 

 leaving them lands in a state of nature, than in a 

 state of exhaustion ? It is true, ?rc may not suf- 

 fer for want of fuel, (thoug'a we may suffer other 

 evils;) but where is our philanthropy? where 

 our benevolence, if we are willing to sacrifice 

 the interest of posterity to our own cupidity ? 



Wo often complain of physical evils. Some 

 of these are evidently beyond our control ; oth- 

 ers are doubtless caused, or at least, greatly ag- 

 gravated, by our own injudicious management. 

 It is true, however, in physics, as in socials and 

 morals, that he who violates a law must suiFer its 



