108 EFFECTS OF FORESTS ON MOISTURE. 



" The earth stript of its vegetable glebe grows less and less 

 productive, and consequently less able to protect itself by weaving a 

 new net-work of roots to bind its particles together, a new carpeting 

 of turf to shield it from wind and sun and scouring rain. Gradually 

 it becomes altogether barren. The washing of the soil from the 

 mountains leaves bare ridges of sterile rock, and the rich organic 

 mould which covered them, now swept down into the dai-k low 

 grounds, promotes a luxuriance of aquatic vegetation that breeds 

 fever and more insidious forms of mortal disease by its decay, and 

 thus the earth is rendered no longer fit for the habitation of man. . . 



" The efi"ect of the destruction of forests upon the climate has been 

 questioned, but the facts remain. And so has it been seen again and 

 again in the history of the nations. The term savage, from its etymo- 

 logical derivation, speaks of a sylvan life ; and from the sylvan or 

 savage life to that of the civilized or city life, the progress of man 

 may be traced, to some extent, by the destruction of forests. The 

 one has, until attention was given to consequences which have 

 followed the destruction of forests, been the accompaniment or com- 

 plement of the other, operating sometimes as a cause, manifesting 

 itself sometimes as a consequence — if both be not con-sequences of a 

 common cause. But it is possible that the destruction of forests may 

 be carried too far. According to the testimony of Dr Hooker, cited 

 in the preface, ' In the estimation of an average Briton forests are of 

 infinitely less imjJortauce than the game they shelter, and it is not 

 long since the wanton destruction of a fine young tree was considered 

 a venial ofi'ence compared with the snaring of a pheasant or x'abbit. 

 Wherever the English rule extends, with the single exception of India, 

 the same apathy or inaction prevails. ... In Demerara the 

 useful timber trees have all been removed from accessible regions, 

 and no care or thought of planting others ; from Trinidad we have 

 the same story ; in New Zealand there is not now a good Kami pine 

 to be found near the coast ; and I believe that the annals of almost 

 every English colony would repeat the tale of wanton waste and 

 improvidjgnce.' 



" In view of this waste, Schleiden, to whom I have already referred, 

 writes, if not in the words, yet following in the train of thought of 

 one of the noblest veterans of our science, the venerable Elias Fries, 

 of Lund : ' A broad band of waste land follows gradually in the steps 

 of cultivation. If it expands, its centre and cradle dies, and on the 

 outer borders only do we find green shoots. But it is not impossible 

 it is only difficult, for man, without renouncing the advantage of 



