WOODS AND PLANTATIONS. 343 



of the Kalagaie desert, looking like a worn-out field or garden. Mr 

 Moffat further states that the inhabitants built their houses of timber, 

 and their fences of branches and shrubs, and that they cut the trees 

 down without any regard to economy. When they fix on a site for a 

 town, they choose one near to a thicket of trees or bushes, and very soon 

 all is levelled ; and that when they clear the ground for cultivation, they 

 burn the trees down by keeping a fire at their roots. Thus large forests 

 which once existed show no remains excepting perhaps a few old 

 stumps. The natives also burn the dry grass, which often destroys 

 large masses of forest ; and to this system, Mr Moffat states, " may be 

 attributed the long succession of dry seasons, and to the same cause 

 may be traced the diminution of fountains, and the entire failure of 

 some which formerly afforded a copious supply, such as Griqua 

 Town, Campbell, and a great number of others which might be men- 

 tioned." 



It has been remarked that since the accidental destruction of whole 

 plains of the Olea similes (wild olive) by fire, near Griqua Town, as well 

 as the diminishing of large shrubs on the neighbouring heights, a 

 gradual decrease of rain has followed in that region. 



These facts show us that man may ruin a climate considerably ; and, 

 on the other hand, there can be no doubt that countries which are 

 now denuded of timber, and where there is a great want of moisture to 

 increase vegetation and give a plentiful supply of water, may be very 

 much improved in this respect by judicious planting. There is, as I 

 have already stated, such a thing as a country being overstocked with 

 timber, where there is a want of a free circulation of air, and the 

 consequence is injurious to the health of both man and animals. 



But what I want to point out more particularly is, that there are 

 large tracts of country in many parts, of Great Britain which are so 

 devoid of plantations that the winter storms sweep across the country 

 with full force ; and in the summer season the land is parched and dried 

 up from want of moisture, and is freely exposed to the fierce rays of 

 the sun. If well laid-out plantations were formed in such districts, 

 choosing those sites likely to give the most shelter, the local climate 

 would be made more genial, by the plantations retaining the moisture 

 in the summer season, and checking the cold winds in the winter. 



There has generally been found larger rainfalls where there are large 

 masses of plantations than where such do not exist. It is generally 

 thought that woods have the power of attracting rain-clouds ; however, 

 there are other opinions in regard to this. Dr Brown is of opinion that, 

 from the shade given by the trees, the temperature of the earth under 

 them, and also of the atmosphere, is lower? and indeed is lower amidst 



