84 EFFECTS OP FORESTS o!J MARSHES. 



which tends also to keep the ground damp and watery. This, along 

 with the decaying wood, soon gets into a complete marsh, and will 

 eventually become what is called in Britain a peat moss. 



** In cases where these hurricanes have destroyed the forest near to 

 inhabitated districts, and the land is low-lying, the space is cleared 

 and turned often into meadow, which is what the Russians like — good 

 meadow land. Their method of getting the hay from the soft and 

 marshy land is to put it up into ricks in some raised part of the 

 meadow, inclose it round with a wicker fence, and when the winter 

 sets in they take it home in their sledges, in the same way as their 

 wood is all taken to its destination, advantage being taken then of 

 sledges on the snow, where there are often no roads in summer ; and 

 also in the winter time, the peasant farmers having nothing do on 

 their land are thus able to get their rye, etc., conveyed to the nearest 

 market ; and having then plenty of time, some of them go to the 

 large towns and factories, and work there during the winter, returning 

 home in the spring, generally about the Easter holidays." 



I have given the annotation entire, because to me it speaks 

 throughout of the abundance of moisture existing when the forests 

 have been destroyed. The allusions to what is done in leading rye and 

 leading wood speak of the abundance of water in the ground kept 

 comparatively dry by the forest, but accumulating when superficial 

 drainage is prevented. 



My correspondent assumes, and not without reason, that in the 

 cases alleged the water level may have been raised by the damming 

 up of an outlet ; and I accept the explanation as one given by an 

 intelligent observer, living in the country and ftimiliar with the facts. 

 His statement is suggestive of much which might illustrate the 

 operation of trees in drying marshy land, utilizing and dispersing the 

 excess of moisture, and fitting the land, otherwise compai'atively use- 

 less to man, for bringing forth herbs meet for them by whom it is 

 dressed. But at present we have to do with the one fact that thus 

 also morasses may be produced, along with the effects referred to ; 

 and of this other illustrations may be given. 



In the Northern States of America, and in the Dominion of 

 Canada, we meet occasionally with extensive patches of weird-like 

 trees, standing leafless and dead in a shallow waste of waters, miles 

 in extent, produced by the accidental or designed damming up of 

 some streamlet it may be by which it had previously been drained. 

 It may have occurred through some such accident as my friend in 



