discussiOjst. 231 



manure that supported tlie trees in spring. In the southern 

 hemisphere the forests took everything out of the ground and 

 gave nothing to it. He was not opposed to barking the trees to 

 get rid of those that were useless. Much of the forests of 

 Australia was totally useless. What a wretched forest there 

 was on the road to Bowenfels — perfectly useless to man and 

 beast. If it could be removed and English trees planted, there 

 would be a far different state of things in the locality, as the 

 timber which absorbed the moisture that *f ell from the heavens 

 would be away. 



Dr. Neild read from a report by Mr. Iryar, an owner of 

 estates in Antigua, upon the effects of forest destruction in the 

 island of Mauritius. The effect of the destruction of forests 

 in a tropical island like Mauritius would be followed, the writer 

 stated, by a decrease of humidity, an elevation of temperature, 

 and a diminution in the rainfall. 



Mr. Dixoi^ stated his experience after a residence of seventeen 

 months on Maldon Island, in the Pacific. 'No rain fell on the 

 island during that time, though rain could be seen falling to the 

 north and to the south ; and as soon as clouds came over the 

 island they disappeared. At one time the island was inhabited, 

 and must have had forests upon it ; but while he was there only 

 two or three small patches of trees existed, and it was evident 

 that the scarcity of timber caused a want of rain. 



The Eev. W. Scott explained that clouds over- saturated with 

 moisture passing over a dry island like the one mentioned would 

 be no longer over-saturated when they met with the heated air 

 rising from the island, and therefore no rain would fall ; but 

 when the clouds joassed beyond the island they might meet with 

 a cooler current of air, and, again becoming over-saturated, rain 

 would fall. 



The Chaikman replied to the points advanced by Mr. Moore, 

 and challenged him to produce data in support of his 5th and 

 6th propositions now brought before the meeting. He referred 

 to the letters from Mr. De Salis which appeared in the Serald, 

 and, proceeding, said : — I cannot see that in characterising ring- 

 barking as it has been practised in these Colonies as I did, and do, 

 I have anything to retract. Mr. De Salis admits in his second 

 letter ■' that ring-barking worthless scrub is the legitimate use of 

 ring-barking, but to ring-bark a forest of well-grown or well- 

 growing trees is its abuse." If this were all that I. intended, we 

 might have, doubtless, been spared the necessity of alluding to 

 the practice at all. I maintain, however, that "well-grown and 

 well-growing trees" that are not "useless scrub," have been ring- 

 barked in various parts of the country to a great extent — and 

 that some of the most useful and valuable timber trees have 

 been ruthlessly killed, and it was to this wanton use of the axe 



