PRESERVE Till': SOIL 



, - ,3 



over 150 per cent, in different locali- 

 ties, or an average of probably ion per 

 cent, throughout the entire area. l"n- 

 doubtedly even the bordering ri\<T- 

 the Ohio and the Mi--i.ssippi -have 

 Buffered an increase in range materially 

 affecting both navigation and general 

 industrial development. \or can any 

 one familiar with the region and ac- 

 quainted with those natural proce- 

 whereby soils are formed, vegetal cov- 

 ers produced, and uniformity of streams 

 maintained fail to sec- that the dam 

 is increasing in a geometric ratio, the 

 loss during each decade averaging 

 twice that of the decade before; nor 

 can he fail to foresee that unless the 

 present tendencies are checked much 

 of the Appalachian upland will be re- 

 duced to barren rock, the soil of the 



lower hills s\\i-j,t auav. and in preci-ely 

 the same me., the headwater 



-treanis reduced to -t<'rm t 'Trent-, and 

 the lo\\er river channel- converted into 

 -and washe-. like tho-e of the arid re- 

 gion, or capricious volumes and mud- 

 laden waters, utterly u-cles- for navi- 

 gation and impossible for terminal-. 

 Recent river work prove- ln-youd all 

 question that the value of a river for 

 navigation depends no less on its 

 -ources than on the character of its 

 channel ; that the river system i- a unit 

 from headwater- to mouth; and that in 

 -uch rivers a - tho-e heading in the Ap- 

 palachian re- ion it will be impossible 

 to maintain navigation in the lower 

 reaches without protection of the 

 mountain -lope- and the myraid spri 

 whence the waters flow. 



PRESERVE THE SOIL 



Dedicated (o Dr. W J McGec 

 By JOHN A. JOYCE 



THE rolling hills and mountains 

 Without their forest dress 

 Will soon bring to the nation 

 Great hunger and distress, 

 .And if we do not listen 



To the scientific strain 

 The soil of grand Columbia 

 Will be washed away by rain. 



I '.rave Xature in her glory 



Works for animated things 

 And tells the old, old story 



< if feeding -erf- and kings, 

 P.ut man obtuse and greedy 



Will not listen in his pain 

 To the poor and weak and needy 

 Who must live by sun and rain. 



We must save the -oil and water 



< ^r a de-ert there shall be, 

 l : "r wife and sou and daughter 



In this Land of Liberty; 

 And the Congress of the nation 



Must now listen to the brain 

 i if our -cieutific sages 



Who would husband soil and rain ! 



